Grow Apart
by LittleMissBrit
Summary: Sequel to 'Come Together.' For Ryder, Spencer and their friends, Senior Year is upon them. Ryder and his girlfriend Becca have only gotten stronger, the golden football player and cheerleader. How will they cope with new Glee members, college pressure and everything else thrown at them? Ryder/OC, Spalistair and minor McHayward.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMED**

 **I highly recommend that you read Come Together so that you can follow the story as there are several OCs but I suppose this chapter gives you enough of an introduction.**

 **Chapter 1**

The first day back at school was always an opportunity for fresh starts, new friends and a jump start. For the Glee club it was a chance to get new members, usually fresh meat who didn't know of their less than popular reputation. All of the members from last year were still in it apart from Myron, who to the relief of much of the Glee club had transferred to some private school. Sadly this meant that there were only eleven left, with everyone apart from Mason, Jane and Madison graduating at the end of the year. It meant that they desperately needed new members and they were doing it the only way they knew how- a start of year performance to pull some interest in. Everyone was dressed for the part with neon clothing, tousled hair and leg warmers among others. They were nervous, however, because they didn't know how everyone would respond.

They'd done fairly well at Nationals last year but not enough to win solidly like they had several years before. This year they hoped to finally win, none of them had that experience of it and really wanted it. Mr. Schuester had them get together over the summer to plan a performance for the school, hoping to see some independence and team work. To absolutely no one's surprise, Kitty had basically taken over, batting away the attempts of her friends to intervene. On the outside and often on the inside, many people thought that she was the most reluctant member of New Directions due to her attitude and reputation, but she did show a surprising level of dedication to the cause. There was a lot of the debate over the song choice- Spencer thought a meme song would be best, Madison argued for a dance hit, Mason fought for contemporary and Unique had suggested classic karaoke. Eventually, however, it had all been sorted out.

Nobody had noticed them stood in the corner with a boom box but that was hardly surprising, they were used to not being noticed. Everyone else in the cafeteria was busy chatting enthusiastically. One of those people was Rebecca 'Becca' Hamilton, co-captain of the Cheerios and surprising ally of the New Directions. Sat with her usual group of jocks and cheerleaders, she was totally involved in the gossiping of the day. Bree was seated next to her, laughing at Lindsey Dawson's growing baby bump. Becca rolled her eyes at her co-captain's bitchiness but she never said anything beyond a gentle rebuke. Though she missed the holidays it was nice to be back with her friends all day.

Summer could be described as nothing but blissful, filled with parties, camping on the trails and driving along with the windows down and music blasting through the speakers. Going to the Caltech Summer Programme has also been a huge boost for her college application, being extremely fun if intellectually challenging- going from working in labs in the afternoon to sneaking out at night with the others to drink illegally on the beach. Visiting Spokane to see her family and friends again had been nothing less than the best, whilst her time at the beach with Spencer and his family had also been the most fun thing. Senior year was now here though and it was time to knuckle down. Becca was completely motivated and always had been as the studious type, spending a lot of her summer patting down her college applications. Though she was applying for some great schools, Harvard was still her absolute aim and dream.

Slipping out her timetable, she re-read it.

 _Name: Hamilton, Rebecca Marie_

 _Grade: 12_

 _Timetable for the 2014/15 William McKinley High School Year:_

 _Homeroom- Mr. P Cameron, Room 4B_

 _1_ _st_ _Period: AP English Literature with Miss. N Hanson, Room 2A_

 _2_ _nd_ _Period: AP French with Ms. M King, Room 7C_

 _BREAK_

 _3_ _rd_ _Period: AP Algebra 1 with Mr. R O'Connor, Room 8D_

 _4_ _th_ _Period: AP Chemistry with Mrs. J Jones, Room 6A_

 _LUNCH_

 _5_ _th_ _Period: AP World History with Mr. W Schuester, Room 7H_

 _6_ _th_ _Period: AP Biology with Miss. A Peters, Room 1A_

 _7_ _th_ _Period: (Mon-Wed) Health with Coach S. Beiste, Room 4B/ Phys Ed with Coach S. Beiste_

Becca had English and History with Spencer now, glad to have classes with her best friend. It was just the pair of them in English but Aimee and Jordan joined them in History. She no longer had French with Bree, but she had her in health, homeroom and PE which meant the usual gossiping. She was glad to have Alistair, Jane and Mason in her French as well, they'd all sat together, but she missed having a lesson with Ryder.

Her phone buzzed. Picking it up from the table, she laughed at the message.

 _Does the salad always taste this awful? X_

 _Yes, suck it up buttercup xxx_

She'd spent all summer training Spencer's little sister Katie Porter so that she could ace her online audition for Cheerios. The two had been close ever since that they first met last year, Becca seeing the younger blonde as the sibling she'd never had. Similar in a lot of ways, they'd bonded quickly and Becca treated Katie as nearly as close a friend as her brother. Luckily for Becca, she'd trained Katie well enough to impress Coach Washington and Bree (the other two judges). Katie had run up to Becca in the halls earlier in the day, excitedly hugging her and showing off her new cheer uniform. Becca was already training Katie to take over as captain once she and Bree had graduated.

Jordan was talking about how she'd finally got her neck brace off after nearly two years. It was clearly a relief for her, no longer having that stifling thing on her all the time. Neck fully healed, she felt a lot more like a happy Cheerio. Becca had only ever known Jordan with it on so it had been quite strange when she'd rocked up to the Lima Bean with it off, but she was definitely happy for her.

The conversation was suddenly interrupted when the boom box brought in by the Glee club started playing the hit _Take On me._ Though everyone was used to the New Directions dancing around and singing randomly in the halls, they usually did pay attention when their lunch was being broken into- besides, everyone loved the song. The Glee club did the 'da da da' beginning around the tables before Jane rushed into the middle and started the song.

 _We're talking away; I don't know what to say, I'll say it anyway_

Mason joined in with her then.

 _Today's another day to find you. Shying away, I'll be coming for you love ok?_

The entire Glee club then joined in, doing a synchronised dance routine in the middle of the cafeteria. They were avoiding dancing on tables now because many students were getting pretty sick of having to remove their trays from the table. Of course there was a varied reaction in general- most of the freshmen were baffled, some were clapping along whilst most just tried to resist the urge to dance because of their annoyance. Becca, Jordan and Aimee were the only ones on the popular table who were actually enjoying the song, the rest were rolling their eyes and making the usual comments about the 'lame' Glee club.

After a few more verses of the song, Ryder headed over to Becca's table. Smiling at the sight of her boyfriend, she turned around to greet him but was surprised when he pulled her up. Laughing, she let him twirl her and pick her up, spinning around.

Summer had been big for the pair. After they'd finally exchanged the 'love' word to each other, it felt as though there was a liberating influence in their relationship. Something else had also happened though. After Ryder had told Becca about the babysitter thing and how that had affected him, the blonde knew that it would be a while before her boyfriend was ready for sex. She had been wrong, however. In the middle of summer, when the pair was hanging out at her house and passionately making out as usual, Ryder had stopped suddenly. Becca thought it was because he needed to cool off but was surprised when Ryder had said that he was finally ready for sex. After he assured her that he was absolutely ready, the pair finally did it. Though Becca wasn't a virgin, she felt much better with Ryder because she truly loved him and it felt magical (that and the fact he was _really good)._ Ryder was also relieved that he finally felt free within his own body and no longer controlled by the past. Both were pretty damn happy and the rest of the summer had been rather...physical for them.

After they'd danced, Ryder kissed her on the head before rushing away to continue the dance. Giddy, Becca sat back down, her face a pretty blush pink. She swayed along to the rest of the song, dismayed but unsurprised at the lack of good reception they received at the end. Listening along as her friends bitched about the performance; she waited for the group to leave before she excused herself to find Ryder. Walking the corridors, she found him at his locker.

"Well isn't someone a superstar?" she asked teasingly as she walked over.

Ryder laughed, closing his locker and opening his arms for Becca to go into, "So you weren't embarrassed?"

"Oh no," Becca shook her head, going into her boyfriend's arms for a hug, "I thought it was very cute, just like you."

"You make me blush," Ryder played with her ponytail, "I think we did well, didn't we?"

"Oh yeah," the Cheerio nodded enthusiastically, "I hope you'll get people. Did you see anyone who you think has potential?"

"I'm not sure, quite a few people were tapping their foot and dancing along but we don't know whether they were just enjoying the song like most people were or if they were interested. We need one for the rest of the year but we'll need a lot more for when most of us graduate this year. I think we're gonna try to talk people into it, like if anyone joins anything like the theatre club they may be interested. Fingers crossed that we get a good bunch."

"Well mine are," Becca showed him her crossed fingers.

"You're the best," Ryder brought her closer, "How about Breadstix this week for a date night?"

Becca nodded, her lips closing in on Ryder's before both felt a presence next to them.

"Alright?" Spencer smirked at them both.

"Go to hell."

"Nice way to greet your best friend," Spencer leaned against the next locker, smirk still on his face.

"Was being a cock block part of your plans?" Becca shot back.

"Just thought I'd come find you so we could walk to class together," he shrugged, "Did you enjoy the performance?"

"It was life affirming stuff."

"Good luck with this one Ryder," Spencer nodded at his best friend, "She's a piece of work."

"Nah, she's the best," Ryder looked down at his girl.

"Mmmh," Becca stuck her tongue out at Spencer before cuddling into Ryder, smug.

The bell rang for 5th period. Becca removed herself from her boyfriend, leaning up and giving him a peck on the cheek.

"See you later babe."

"Bye gorgeous," Ryder waved before heading off to his Spanish class.

Becca took Spencer's arm as they headed down the corridors together to class. The two talked away, joined by Jordan and Aimee as they discussed what they thought would be on the syllabus this year. Becca definitely had a good feeling about this year; she only hoped that she would be proven right.

-GROW APART-

 _A few days later_

All seated together in the auditorium, the Glee club whispered between themselves. Mr. Schue sat at the table with a notepad in front of him. The audition slot was two hours but they imagined that they would probably not need it. Not a single person had signed up, though there had been occasions where people had just turned up randomly so they were praying for that. It had also said turn up if you wanted to. Everyone was starting to think that their little stunt in the cafeteria had the opposite effect to what they wanted, with everyone reminded of the fact that they were losers. New people who didn't know of their reputation seemed to know it now.

They all looked at the times on their phones but were torn away when there was a quiet shuffling of feet against the auditorium floor. Everyone's eyes perked up as a girl poked her head from the side.

"Hi there," Mr. Schue greeted her, "Can we help?"

"Are, er, auditions still open?" she asked nervously.

"Yes, yes," the teacher nodded enthusiastically.

The girl poked her head back, whispering to someone before going back to the side of the stage, "There are a few of us here- I'm going to go first if that's ok."

Receiving confirmation, the girl shuffled on stage awkwardly. A very slight girl, she was clearly very young and with some Asian features. Throwing her long, sleek black hair over her shoulder, she clasped her hands together and awaited instructions in front of the microphone.

"So why don't you tell us your name, grade and what you're singing?"

"Erm my name is Molly Lang, I'm a freshman and I will be singing _Fifteen_ by Taylor Swift."

"Awesome," Mr. Schue nodded, "Let's see what you've got."

Taking a deep breath she waited for the music to start before singing.

 _You take a deep breath and you walk through the doors,_

 _It's the morning of your very first day,_

 _You say hi to your friends you ain't seen in a while, try and stay out of everyone's way._

 _It's your freshman year and you're gonna be here for the next four years in this town  
Hoping one of those senior boys will wink at you and say, "you know I haven't seen you around, before"_

 _Cause when you're fifteen,  
Somebody tells you they love you  
You're gonna believe them  
And when you're fifteen_

She was pretty good, her voice soft and low- though unable to reach the heights of someone like Unique or Jane but able to reach the base notes better than them. Molly was pretty shy, avoiding looking at them, but she was talented and had really gotten into the song. Once she was done, everyone applauded loudly and whooped in order to get her confidence up. Smiling nervous, Molly tugged at her sleeve and waited for feedback.

"That was great Molly," Mr. Schue told her through the microphone, "If you could perhaps stay until the end? We make our decisions then."

"Thanks," she whispered shyly before practically running off stage.

Mr. Schuester finished his notes- 'shy, alto voice, needs confidence but talented'- before calling out for the next person. A boy a little older than Molly came on; the pair looked similar so were perhaps siblings. Smiling, he gave a little wave before standing in front of the mike.

"Hi my name is Kevin James Lang; you guys can call me KJ. I'm new to the school; my mom used to home school me and my sister who you just met. I'm a junior and I will be singing _Free Fallin'_ by Tom Petty if that's ok."

"Whenever you're ready KJ."

 _She's a good girl, loves her mama_

 _Loves Jesus and America too_

 _She's a good girl who's crazy 'bout Elvis_

 _Loves horses and her boyfriend too_

He was very good, his voice alternating between rocker and crooner. All of the girls in the audience were swooning; even Kitty was clearly a little bit impressed by his cuteness and his talent. KJ seemed to be eyeing only one girl in the audience though, and that was Madison, who was too entranced to see it. The boys (apart from Spencer) seemed a little bit jealous, Ryder mentally reminding himself that he was dating the hottest and most popular girl in the school and Jake telling himself that he could get any girl he wanted. Mr. Schue was scribbling down a lot of things; he seemed to think KJ could be the next Finn or Ryder, minus the letterman. Once KJ had finished his song, everyone applauded excitedly, the girls especially excited by their probable new member. To his credit, KJ looked humbled, running a hand through his hair and grinning slightly awkwardly.

"Great job KJ," Mr. Schue smiled at him, "If you'll just go and stand with your sister, we'll call you all out after everyone has finished. How many are there left?"

"Just two."

"Great, thanks."

KJ left to more applause. Mr. Schue called out for the next person, who turned out to be a tanned young man who looked roughly like a freshman. The boy immediately waved at them all, winking and doing a little dance. He was clearly a kid Casanova, trying to be KJ without the charm. Kitty rolled her eyes, Unique just stared incredulously and Jane just looked confused. Standing in front of the microphone, he instantly spoke.

"Hey everyone, I'm Ricardo Vanquez, but the ladies call me Ricky."

He pointed at the girls, winking. Marley fake blanched, causing Ricky's face to falter.

"What's your grade, Ricky?" Mr. Schue asked.

"I'm a freshman," Ricky told them, "And I will be singing the Ricky Martin classic _Livin La Vida Loca."_

 _She's into superstitions_ _, b_ _lack cats and voodoo dolls_ _  
_ _I feel a premonition_ _-t_ _hat girl's gonna make me fall_ _  
_ _She's into new sensation_ _, ne_ _w kicks in the candlelight_ _  
_ _She's got a new addiction_ _f_ _or every day and night_ _  
_ _She'll make you take your_ _clothes off and go dancing in the rain_ _  
_ _She'll make you live her crazy life_ _b_ _ut she'll take away your pain_ _, l_ _ike a bullet to your brain_

He was good, they couldn't lie. Shaking his hips and pelvis like he was Elvis, he moved pretty smoothly to the beat. Taking the mike off the stand, he strutted around the stage in an almost perfect impression of Mick Jagger. They all had to admit he had an amazing stage presence; he wouldn't be out of place as a front man for a flamboyant rock band. Doing the twist on the stage, he enthusiastically belted out the words. For a freshman he sure had confidence, perhaps the complete opposite to Molly. Once he'd finished, everyone applauded enthusiastically, though trying to be restrained as to not

Running a hand through his hair, Ricky smirked.

"How was it?" he asked smugly.

"I think he's got more of an ego than Rachel Berry," Kitty whispered to Marley.

"Very good," Mr. Schue nodded, "Great performance, very fun."

"Am I in or not?"

"Like everybody else you'll have to wait until the end of the auditions, Mr. Vanquez," they could tell even Mr. Schue was getting bored of him, "Please go and stand with KJ and Molly."

Doing a mock salute, Ricky went to join them. It was as though Santana and Rachel had a handsome but arrogant love child somehow. Mr. Schue called out the next person, who turned out to be a shorted haired girl wearing a letterman jacket. A few of them recognised the girl, so she wasn't new like the others.

"Hey there," Mr. Schue smiled, "Why don't you tell us your name and your grade?"

"Hi there," the girl gave a shy wave, "My name is Chloe Bonner and I'm a sophomore."

"Great, nice to meet you Chloe. What will you be singing for us?"

"I'll be singing _What's Going On_ by 4 Non-Blondes."

"Whenever you're ready Chloe."

 _Twenty-five years and my life is still trying to get up that great big hill of hope for a destination_

 _I realized quickly when I knew I should that the world was made up of this brotherhood of man  
for whatever that means_

 _And so I cry sometimes when I'm lying in bed just to get it all out  
What's in my head, and I, I am feeling a little peculiar_

Her voice was very unique, with an ability to hit the high notes without being screechy and a loud, projecting set of vocals. She didn't really dance, but merely moved around to the music. There was a lot of emotion in her song as well, which was very clear. Like Molly she didn't seem as confident as Ricky, but she seemed to be more self-assured than the freshman.

Everyone had clapped when she'd done the song, Chloe doing an awkward little bow.

"Great job Chloe; really impressive stuff- please join the others and we'll call you all over in a little bit."

Thanking them, she shuffled off stage.

"Well I think I speak for everyone when I say that they were four great auditions," Mr. Schue turned to his students, "Each of them is very talented and I think they can bring a lot to the table. Does anyone have any objections?"

He was met with silence, but nothing more.

"Great, I'll call them back."

Before he could, however, there was a rushing of feet and an out of breath girl ran onto the stage, panting.

"Is there still enough time for an audition? I wasn't sure where everything was."

Apart from Spencer, every boy's jaw dropped. The girl was stunning with long, wavy chocolate coloured hair and the deepest, most piercing eyes they'd ever seen. Very tall and slim with round hips and legs that went for miles, the leather jacket and Doc Martins added a casual elegance.

"No problem," Mr. Schue smiled, "You need a moment to catch your breath?"

"No thanks, I'm fine," the girl clutched her heart before heading over to the mike, flicking her hair back behind her casually.

"Just your name, grade and what you'll be singing please."

"Cool, my name is Roxanne Taylor but you can call be Roxy," she gave out a dazzling smile, her white teeth gleaming, "I'm new, a junior and I'll be singing _Crazy, Crazy Nights_ by Kiss."

"Whenever you're ready Roxy."

Nodding, she tapped her foot as the music started playing. Gripping the microphone tightly, she began.

 _(Whoow! Here's a little song for everybody out there)_

 _People try to take my soul away, but I don't hear the rap that they all say_

 _They try to tell us we don't belong, that's alright, we're millions strong_

 _This is my music, it makes me proud, these are my people and this is my crowd_

 _These are crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy nights_

 _These are crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy nights_

Her voice was incredible, almost a young Joan Jett. She rocked the stage even better than Ricky, shaking her body and throwing her hair back and forth in a head bang. Roxy's stage presence commanded attention and nobody could take their eyes off of her. The girl had pipes and likeability; it would take her a long way.

"Dude, she's so hot," Jake whispered to Ryder.

Ryder had to admit she was very attractive- the AC/DC shirt also helped, as well as her talent. He did feel bad about thinking that though, because he had Becca. Maybe he was biased, but he thought that Becca was the most beautiful girl he knew. Still, he couldn't deny that Roxy had something pretty hot going on. It wasn't illegal to admire other girls like that, he reasoned, but he still felt guilty about it when he had Becca as his girl. Unfortunately, he couldn't keep his eyes off Roxy, even though he didn't feel a single thing for her like he did for his Becca. Jake, however, was practically drooling all over the seats. He wondered if Mason had the same thought process as him...

Swept out of his thoughts by a standing ovation for Roxy, he watched as she revelled in the attention in a humble manner. Mr. Schue didn't even need to ask the others.

"Amazing job Roxy," he clapped, "Can you call the others out with you please?"

Roxy went to the edge of the stage, calling the others to follow her. Ricky and KJ were also following her like a lost puppy, mouths dropped open. The five stood on the stage nervously, KJ with an arm around his little sister.

Mr. Schue stood up, "It was a great audition from each of you, we've got a really great group in front of us. I am pleased to say that you have ALL made it into the club. Welcome to New Directions! Can we give them a round of applause please guys?"

The older members applauded the new ones happily, the newbies celebrating on stage.

"If you could all come to my office tomorrow, I'll give you your rehearsal schedules and you'll receive your official introductions. With that, auditions are dismissed. I'll see you all at rehearsal, well done again guys. If you have any questions, feel free to stay behind."

KJ and Molly took him up on the offer, going down the steps to the table. Everyone else dispersed, going off into little groups. Ricky went up to flirt with Kitty, but the blonde cheerleader just shoved him to the side and walked off with her girls. The others split off into little groups, Ryder somehow finding himself walking alone with Roxy.

"You were really great out there," Ryder eventually complimented, "I loved the performance."

"Thank you...sorry, what's your name?"

"Oh Ryder, Ryder Lynn," he stuck out a hand, which Roxy took, "So you're new, huh? Must be tough."

"Not really," Roxy shrugged, "My parents are military so we move around a lot; I've been at upwards of 15 schools over the years. They promised they'd try to stay here until after I've graduated so fingers crossed it's more permanent."

"Well, honour it would be," Ryder joked in his best Yoda voice.

"Help me Ryder Lynn, you're my only hope!"

They both laughed.

"So you're a Star Wars fan?" Ryder asked.

"Oh my god YES, I love it so much. I once met Carrie Fisher at a convention and it was the best thing ever, she was so super cool! Anything like that- Star Wars, superheroes, Lord of the Rings, I absolutely love. Star Wars is the favourite though; Princess Leia is such an icon. Nobody else I know has such an obsession; it's so great to finally meet a fellow nerd!"

They high fived.

"We'll have to marathon them together."

"Oh god yes please," Roxy begged, "Even the prequels, as much as it pains me."

"You're an AC/DC fan as well?" Ryder noted her t-shirt.

"You caught me," she laughed, pulling it out to show him, "They're my favourite band of all time. We're very much a classic rock family, my parents named me Roxanne after that Police song. I had to go for a rock classic for my audition song, I didn't think I had the voice for AC/DC so I went for Kiss. Gosh, it was such a hard decision. You like classic rock?"

"It's my favourite, I have all the posters in my room," Ryder told her, "My audition song for Glee was _Jukebox Hero._ If I had to go back in time I'd go see the-"

"-US Festival," Roxy finished, nodding satisfied, "1982, had some really great bands."

"Thank God, someone else has taste."

The two practically talked their chins off excitedly about their shared love for rock music and nerd culture, which was later extended to their obsession with _America's Funniest Home Videos._

"Hey babe!"

Ryder turned around as Becca bounced over. Smiling, he held out an arm for his girlfriend who leaned up and kissed him on the lips. When she was back down they walked together, arms round one another.

"How's my girl?"

"I'm good," she cuddled into his side, "Did auditions go well? Did you get anyone?"

Ryder nodded, "We got five- two freshman called Ricky and Molly, a sophomore called Chloe- I think she does lacrosse- and two juniors, KJ and Roxy. Oh, excuse me- Roxy, this is my girlfriend Becca Hamilton. Becca, this is Roxy Taylor, one of our new recruits."

The girls shook hands.

"Great to meet you, are you new to the school?"

"I am," Roxy nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, I was new last year so if you need any help just come to me; I can hopefully make sure that you navigate the nightmare that is McKinley. I know what it's like to be fresh meat."

"Thank you so much, I'll have to take you up on that," Roxy smiled.

"Becca's the best, the sweetest," Ryder enthused, "She's totally amazing, she's going for Harvard this year. She says she won't get in but I know she will- Becs is the smartest person, like, ever."

Becca giggled, blushing, "Oh you're such a smoothie. Were you guys talking about anything nice?"

"Well, we're bonding over many shared loves."

"Like what?"

"We both _love_ classic rock and all nerdy stuff, both massive Star Wars fans!" Roxy told her excitedly, "Oh, and _America's Funniest Home Videos._ It's so funny."

"That's nice," Becca faked a smile. America's Funniest Home Videos were _her_ and Ryder's thing.

She felt as though she was the one third wheeling as Ryder and Roxy did not stop talking, completely forgetting that she existed. As she cuddled into Ryder's side, she felt a slight pang of jealousy. Becca Hamilton was not used to being jealous- she was always told that she was prettier, more popular and smarter than everybody else. She was with the boy she loved; she would never feel threatened by it usually. This Roxy as very, very pretty. Roxy was also very nice, which made Becca feel a bit un-Christian for immediately taking a dislike towards her. Clutching her cross necklace, she immediately prayed to God for forgiveness for the sin of envy. She momentarily hoped that Roxy would say something mean or stupid so that they had reason to dislike her, but immediately scolded herself for such horrible thoughts.

Becca was extremely relieved when they arrived at the parking lot.

"This is my ride," Roxy stood in front of a gleaming motorcycle. Ryder released Becca and immediately went over to admire it, leaving his girlfriend at the curb. He and Roxy immediately started talking excitedly about the specs, Ryder practically crying over the 0-60 and other specs of the Suzuki Scooter. After they had, Roxy took her phone out.

"Can we exchange numbers?" she asked Ryder.

"Of course, let's swap phones."

The two did that before Roxy walked over to Becca.

"Can I get your number Becca?"

"Oh sure, I guess," Becca and Roxy also swapped phones, the blonde not overly pleased even though she had offered to help the brunette.

"Great," Roxy grabbed her helmet and began to put it on, "It was fab meeting you guys, thanks so much for being so cool. I'm really looking forward to Glee club. See you guys."

Putting on her helmet, she revved up her engines and sped off home.

"Isn't she cool?" Ryder asked his girlfriend excitedly.

"The coolest," Becca replied bitterly, her boyfriend missing the sarcasm in his voice.

The pair walked back to Becca's car, Ryder putting his arms around his girlfriend as soon as they were close enough.

"I was thinking Wednesday for Breadstix?" he suggested, "Pick up at just after six, reservations for half past?"

"Yeah, sounds great," Becca smiled, "First date night for senior year."

"Here's to many more," Ryder smiled back, going in for a kiss. As they kissed, Becca smiled. She had nothing to worry about, Roxy was just a nice new girl looking for new friends and she had no reason to be so mean or jealous towards her. Everything would be totally fine.

Or would it?

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Grow Apart! Some reviewers thought there should be more Glee club so I made sure that they were the predominant force in this chapter and will be in future. Got any thoughts on our newest members? Will Roxy unexpectedly split Ryder and Becca apart or is she just a red herring?**

 **Next Time: A family member that Becca has never met appears in the Hamiltons' life. How will her father react to seeing the sister he hasn't seen in 27 years?**

 **Thanks again, I'd really, really appreciate reviews for this one to see how you like the sequel. Hope you come back for the next chapter xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the support thus far, it's brilliant x**

 **Chapter 2**

The last time Wendy Hamilton had seen her brother Andrew, U2 was at number 1 with 'With or Without You.' In the twenty seven years it had been since they had seen each other, a lot had changed and she had no idea how he was going to react to seeing his twin sister after that amount of time. Maybe coming all the way from Oregon was a bad idea.

"What if he hates me? It has been nearly thirty years since I've seen him, I left the house when I was eighteen with a note and I haven't seen him since. He's graduated college since then, he's probably married with kids, he's had a life without me for over two decades. Andrew has every right to hate me; I wouldn't be surprised if he slammed the door in my face for having the cheek to turn up half way across the country after all of these years. He has a nephew he doesn't even know about. I'll never forget the smile on his face the night I left; he was so full of hope after I promised I was going to apply for a job. I can't imagine his face when he, mom and dad woke up and found a note saying that I was packing in Washington and moving away. This was a mistake."

Patrick Hamilton only half resembled his mother, but she was his son all the same. Sighing in the passenger seat, he put a hand on hers.

"Mom, twenty seven years is a very long time, a time in which Uncle Andrew could have easily forgiven you. You don't know if you don't try. What we're gonna do is, we're gonna march up to that door and knock on it. Whoever answers it, we'll deal with it. You've been on such an amazing journey; you've made yourself a much better person than the user they last remember you to be. God has forgiven you; you need to forgive yourself like I'm sure the family will. We can't back out now."

Wendy nodded, "You're right, you're right. I have to see my family, I have to own up to what I did to them, mend broken bridges. Are you ready to meet your uncle?"

Patrick nodded too, "Yeah, he sounds great, the way you always talked about him. Let's go."

The rental car pinged as the blonde pair exited it, making their way up to the suburban Lima house. Wendy was breathing heavily as they arrived at the door, after several moments, she knocked loudly to ensure that they would be heard. Her heart banging against like a drum against her chest, she waited nervously as footsteps could be heard coming towards the door. Mona arrived; looking puzzled at the sight of the two strangers, but still opened the door.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Is Andrew Hamilton here please?" Wendy asked nervously, hoping she'd got the right address.

"Sure thing," Mona smiled at them, "One second."

She turned back into the house and shouted for her husband, informing him that it was for him. Wendy was still shaking as she waited. Andrew finally appeared, his face going from a welcoming smile to one full of utter shock. Freezing at the sight of his sister, he didn't take his eyes off of her, as Mona still looked completely baffled.

"Hi," Wendy managed to squeeze out.

Without a word, Andrew went to hug her, the two locked in a tight embrace for several minutes without either of them saying a thing. Both had tears in their eyes, though neither of them tried to hide it as they slid down their cheeks. Pulling away from one another, they both remained holding the other's arms, staring at one another in gentle surprise.

"It's been..."

"...A long time," Wendy finished, "Too long."

"Who is this?" Mona asked, gesturing to the other blonde woman.

"Mona, this is my sister Wendy. Wendy, this is my wife Mona."

"Oh hello," Mona blinked in surprise.

"What are you doing here? How did you even know where I live?"

"Well, I ran into Craig Jones, remember him? He said that he had a rough address for you, so that's how I got it. As for seeing you...it has been years Andrew, I can't forget about what I was like and what I did to you and mom and dad, running off like that as some little smack head. Things have changed so much since we were eighteen. It's been so utterly crazy; my life has been like some kind of rollercoaster. I have missed you all so, so much. This one persuaded me I needed to mend broken bridges if I wanted to go forward in life."

She nodded towards Patrick.

"And this is your..?" Andrew prompted.

"Oh sorry," Wendy took his arm, "Andrew, this is my son Patrick. Patrick, this is your Uncle Andy and Aunt Mona."

"Hi," Patrick waved nervously, "Nice to meet you, I guess you are my aunt and uncle aren't you? Seems quite weird to say, not something I've said before."

"You too," Andrew smiled as Mona still stared confusedly, "You're right, things have changed a lot haven't they? We both have kids now."

"Oh you do?" Wendy asked excitedly, "I'm an auntie?"

"We have a daughter Rebecca," Mona supplied, "We call her Becca though, she's 17. Should be back from school soon, she's got practice, due back soon."

"Why don't we go sit down?" Andrew suggested, "When Becca gets home I suppose we can have the full explanation."

Wendy and Patrick followed them into the living room, Mona going to get them a glass of water. Once she returned they sat there in relative silence, with only Wendy commenting on some of the photos with her brother and sister-in-law just replying with polite information. Both Wendy and Andrew were still in a haze of shock, with Patrick and Mona having no idea what to say or do.

Luckily, they were both saved by the metaphorical bell when Becca entered, humming cheerfully to herself. Sweeping in the room, she greeted her parents in the usual way by kissing them on the cheeks and doing a happy hello. It was only after they'd done the usual asking about their day that Becca really paid attention to the others in the room.

"Who's this?" Becca asked.

"Becca darling," Andrew rose, "This is your Aunt Wendy."

"What, the crack addict?"

"Rebecca," Mona hissed.

"Rebecca Marie Hamilton, you apologise now."

"No, no there's no need to apologise," Wendy stood up, going over to her niece, "It's nice to meet you finally sweetheart, I always wanted to have be Aunt Wendy. Well let's take a look at you. You're a pretty little thing, very pretty girl."

"Thank you. Sorry, who's this?"

She was addressing Patrick at this point.

"This is my son Patrick," Wendy smiled, "Your cousin I guess."

Patrick gave an awkward wave, "Hi there."

"Hello," Becca smiled shyly, "Well this is weird but the Lord works in ways we do not understand. I just...I just don't really know what to say. Have you spoken to daddy properly yet?"

"We wanted to wait until you were here before your auntie explained everything," Andrew told her, "Why don't you sit down so we can all find out what happened?"

Becca nodded, she and Wendy sitting down. The blonde teenager cuddled up to her mother, resting her head on her shoulder, but she also squeezed her father's hand comfortingly.

"Shall I start?" Wendy asked.

Andrew nodded.

"Well I don't know how much Mona and Becca know about me but I'll explain anyway. In high school I got in with the wrong crowd, started doing drugs. This wasn't me being a casual seventeen year old smoking weed at parties; I was doing the hard stuff like heroin and LSD, getting completely off my face. I barely graduated; I feel I did well considering what an addict I was. When you're eighteen and you've just finished high school, you feel free. I was off my head and I thought that I was doing the right thing, so one night I packed my bags and skipped town. Whilst you were all sleeping, I hopped on a greyhound and went to San Francisco. I was there for years, couch hopping and squatting whilst taking the horrible stuff my friends gave me. There were times I openly bought heroin on the streets, I was that brazen- I was too off my head to care. For years, it was a blur of drinking, drugs and parties. I watched friends die of HIV from bad needles and just die of overdoses. One time I woke up to find my friend Lottie dead in our tiny cramped room, right next to me. It took years for me to properly mourn because I'd been so desensitized to death. Not to be disgusting in front of a picture of Jesus, but I was with guys all the time, how I didn't get pregnant earlier I don't know. Then one day, a few years down the line in 1991, I find out that I was pregnant. As soon as the doctor told me for sure, that was when I knew it. I didn't want to abort this child, it was the signal I needed me to tell me that I needed to stop this. I stopped. It was so hard, there were times where I nearly relapsed but I knew I couldn't because I had a dependent child in my body. Thanks to an amazing Christian charity that helped mothers with addict backgrounds, I got back on my feet. Patrick was born in April 1992; I named him Patrick Andrew after you. For a few years it as tough, but we did it. I decided San Francisco wasn't a good idea so I moved out to a nice place in Oregon. Whilst another charity helped with Patrick I got an apprenticeship in accounting at a night school whilst working in the day. Once I got chartered I quit my day job and become an accountant at a good family construction firm. We were never super rich but we were comfortable, we had holidays, I got a car and Patrick worked hard to get one. I told everyone that his father and I split up when he was very young, that's not true because I honestly don't know who he is. For years I was too scared to go to anyone. You know how traditional we all are, I didn't know how mom and dad would react if I got pregnant out of wedlock- heck, you always said you wanted to be married first. I don't even know who the father is. Then Patrick finally persuaded me that I needed a family. He wanted to meet his uncle, his grandparents and maybe cousins and an aunt. I wanted to as well, so we finally hopped on a plan and here we are. Mostly, I'm just here to say sorry for what I put you all through and beg for your forgiveness. I feel God has forgiven me, I just hope that you can forgive me and I can forgive myself."

She did some little jazz hands.

"Wendy," Andrew leaned forward, "Mom and dad did not kick you out when you started shooting up heroin, they would not have cared if you weren't married when you had a baby. Mona and I were married when Becca was conceived, but they would have been thrilled whatever happened because we weren't sure it would happen to us. I am thrilled to have you back in my life and to meet a nephew I never knew I had. You don't need to apologise because I got what i wanted- my sister back. Sure, I was angry when it first happened but I missed you foremost. All I hope is that we get back what we once had as siblings."

"You mean that?" Wendy asked, tears in her eyes.

"Of course," Andrew smiled, handing her some tissues.

"I'm really glad," she sniffed, "So how about you? What have you been doing the past twenty seven years?"

"I went to Gonzaga of course, got my economics degree. In my junior year I was at a music shop and I met another junior called Mona Summers who went to Whitworth," he smiled at his wife whilst Becca mimed vomiting, "After we both graduated we settled in Spokane, I got my finance job and Mona became a proof-reader. We married in '95 and were blessed with Becca in '97. When Becca was fairly young, Mona got into an accident when some idiot ran a stop sign and ploughed straight into her car. It could have been worse, Mona had to learn to walk again and there are those physical symptoms, but she wasn't killed thank God. We worked through it. Last year I got a good offer for a job in Lima so we moved, we're happy here. I guess what we got what wanted."

"Albeit in very different ways," Wendy shrugged.

"How long are you here for?" Mona asked.

"A week, but we can stay longer. We're at the Norton Road Hotel."

"I think we can expand things over the week," Andrew decided, "Do some family stuff. Stay for dinner, we can talk and start to get to know each other. That won't be a problem will it?"

Mona shook her head, "No, I can do extra. I'll get on with it now."

She stood up, heading into the kitchen.

"I also think we need to talk privately," Andrew told his sister, "Becca, can you entertain Patrick?"

"I have homework, but I can put TV on in the background for Patrick," Becca suggested, "It's just some math equations, nothing major. I'll go get it now."

Andrew handed the remote to Patrick before he and Wendy disappeared off somewhere quiet to work. Becca came back downstairs with her math sheets, going through them easily as ESPN played in the background. Focusing intently, she found solace in something she knew what to do. She sometimes felt Patrick's eyes go over to look at her, but she didn't look back. It all seemed so sudden, Andrew and Wendy exchanging their life stories, having a little cry before having a private chat. She'd heard snippets of Aunt Wendy, for years her father had kept the real reason from her until she was 15, which was when her parents felt that she was old enough to know the truth. It had always been in the back of her mind, she never thought she'd meet her but here she was, a cousin she never knew about in tow. Becca felt she had no idea what to say, she knew that her parents would expect her to be all loving towards people she met five minutes ago because they happened to share the same DNA. As soon as they went, Becca would need to talk to her friends. She had no idea whether to call Ryder or Spencer, weighing up the options between her. For sympathy, she wanted Ryder but for honesty she wanted Spencer. At the moment, she wanted both. She supposed she could call Spencer for the honesty then wait until school for cuddles from Ryder. Honestly, it wasn't a really shitty situation but she was conflicted about how to feel. More than anything, it was the religious side. She'd feel like a bad Christian if she didn't forgive and embrace Wendy, but she didn't like the idea of her aunt just walking onto her life like nothing happened.

Wendy and Andrew came back in, Patrick turning off the TV.

"What homework is that you're doing?" Wendy asked.

"Polynomials," Becca replied without looking up from her sheet.

"Is it difficult?"

"No."

Finishing her math easily, she switched to her chemistry worksheet. Her family chatted in the background, Andrew quietly telling the others to let Becca get on with her homework. She could deal with noise; it was all in the back whilst she focused heavily. Mona then came in.

"Dinner's ready."

They headed into the dining room, Wendy sitting with her son, Mona and Becca across the table and Andrew at the head of the table.

"Let's say grace. Be present at our table Lord. Be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless and grant that we may feast in fellowship with Thee. Amen."

"Amen."

"You know the Lord really helped me. I'd nearly completely abandoned him during my San Francisco years but having Patrick really moved me back to God. Our Pastor is great."

"The Lord never leaves us, even when we leave Him," Mona agreed.

"Amen to that," Wendy nodded, "So sister-in-law, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Mona and Wendy exchanged information before turning on Patrick.

"So nephew, 22 huh?" Andrew asked, "You finished college?"

"Nah, I went down the technical route like mom- I'm a mechanic, car mechanic. I always liked shop at school and I thought wasting thousands on a degree that I may not use."

"Good idea," Andrew agreed.

"Always loved cars and vehicles this one," Wendy smiled, "Forever had Hot Wheels as presents as a child, one could last him forever."

"Yeah I love NASCAR," Patrick told them excitedly, "My favourite band is Dashboard Confessional as well, and my favourite shows are American Chopper and Top Gear. Mom joked I was born with a wrench in my hands and grease in my fingernails. I couldn't afford a new car like some of my friends so I bought an old clunker from the garage and fixed it up myself, good as new."

"Well that's great," Andrew enthused, "You like sports son?"

"Yes Uncle Andrew," Patrick nodded, "I played Basketball in high school, being this tall has its benefits. I'm a big Trail Blazers supporter for b-ball, 49ers for football and Dodgers for baseball."

"Seahawks, Mariners and Cavaliers for me. I was never that good at basketball; I was the cornerback in the football team."

"Those football guys at school always got the chicks," Patrick laughed, shaking his head.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Not at the moment, few across the years but only one or two that were super serious."

"He had better luck than me," Wendy quipped, running a hand through her ponytail, "Dating as a single mom is hard work. I always wanted a father figure for Patrick, I was worried he'd go some of the way that those without dads do but he was sensible. Wise beyond his years."

"Mom did a great job raising me, I didn't need a dad when I had all the parents I need rolled into one."

Wendy put a hand to her heart, clearly touched by her son's kind words.

"You're still young Patrick," Mona told him, "Plenty of years before you start looking at marriage and settling down."

"That's easy to say Mona, kid is way too sensible- he's had marriage and kids on the brain for years, I'm pretty sure he wants a small army. I'll be the grandmother looking after ten kids."

They all laughed apart from Becca, who hid her unimpressed expression by pretending to be remarkably interested in her meal.

"So Becca, I guess we have to learn about you now," Wendy smiled, "So you're a cheerleader I see."

Becca knew that she had to contribute happily to the conversation or her father would push her. Faking a smile, she nodded.

"Yes, I am. Co-Captain of our squad, National champs as well. This is my last year of high school so I hope to relive it again."

"So you're applying for college then?" Wendy asked.

"Yes I am. I've spent my summer working on my applications but I've done most of them now, still got a few months to shape them up and ship them off."

"Anywhere good?" Patrick asked been mouthfuls of food.

"I've got Case Western; Kent State; Purdue; University of Washington; Ohio State; UPenn; Notre Dame and Carnegie Mellon on the main list. Caltech is my second choice, I did my summer programme there but my absolute dream is Harvard. I've spent hours working on my application for there; I really, really want to go."

"Those are some tough schools," Wendy sounded impressed, "You must do well academically."

"I guess," Becca shrugged.

"Becca's being modest. A+ average, got 5s in all of her AP classes last year, highest grades in her school and 2380 on her SAT," Andrew beamed at his daughter, "We have absolutely no idea where she gets it from, her brain is something else. I sit and watch her do her math and science, no calculator and she just writes it out then comes back with near perfect grades. We have high hopes for her, she'll be the first PhD in our family, I just know it. God really put the brains in her."

Becca blushed.

"Very bright, I do wonder where she gets it from," Wendy agreed, "What are you hoping to do?"

"I'm planning to do cellular and molecular biology for my undergrad and PhD, and then hope to do medical research."

"I see what you mean," Wendy laughed, "I don't think anyone in our family is that smart. What about your friends dearie, who are they?"

It seemed that Wendy was making up for lost time, because she'd asked Mona everything under the son and was now asking the same of her niece. Smile on; Becca decided that it was best to play along so that her dad wouldn't get annoyed.

"There's Spencer, he's my best friend. We met when I moved to Lima, I thought he was an idiot at first but then we started chatting at this party and we became besties, he'll like my friendship soulmate if there's such a thing. I'm close with his little sister Katie; she's a freshman and just got into Cheerios. She's like my little sister as well. Bree is my co-captain, Aimee and Jordan are my other Cheerios girls, and we're like a small group I guess. There are others, Spencer's boyfriend Alistair then some of the other jocks."

"Becca got nominated for Prom Queen last year," Mona supplied, "She would have won but some guys tampered with the ballots so that no one won. I bet she'll get nominated this year."

"Aww I'd love to see those pictures. A pretty girl like you must have many male admirers."

"According to Spencer, that's all of the McKinley male population," Andrew quipped.

"Yes, I have a boyfriend," Becca went red again, "His name is Ryder, we met last year when I sat next to him in class, we've been dating since January. He's the absolute best."

"Do you have a picture?"

Becca nodded, going into her pocket to grab her phone. Flicking through it, she found one of her and Ryder at prom. Handing it over to her aunt and cousin, she let them look at it before taking it back and putting it in her pocket.

"He's a real cutie," Wendy teased.

"He is such a sweet boy," Mona cooed, "So lovely and he's got the nicest manners, a proper gentleman. His family are great as well."

"Not so sweet when he's necking my daughter on a football field," Andrew muttered.

"What was that?" Patrick asked innocently.

"Just before summer there was a big football game that Ryder scored the winning touchdown in. During the celebrations, he and Becca were quite...passionate in front of the entire crowd," his grumble went into a small smirk.

"Would you shut up about that?" Becca grumbled.

"Oh dear," Wendy laughed, "Well Andy, she's 17 and in a relationship, I don't think that making out in a field is the worst thing she's ever done."

"Don't want to know that, thank you," Andrew snapped.

They talked until dinner was over, every knife and fork laid on the plate. Wendy cleared her throat.

"Thank you for this, Mona it was great. Look, I cannot pretend this is not a shock for all of us. I had no idea how you would all react and am thankful that you have all been so good to me. I said this to Andrew earlier, but I'll say the rest now, I am going to wait a few days to contact mom and dad- I think I need to plan what I'm going to say to them after all these years. This may be a shock but I thought that if you all accepted me with open arms, I wanted to move here. Oregon is great and all, but there's nothing keeping me there, now Patrick has left school. There's a job here waiting for me if I need it and there are plenty of houses I can move to at short notice. I want to be closer to you. Now, it was Patrick's decision to stay if he wanted but most of his friends have moved on, he decided he wants to come with me. It's safe to say that I have been away from my family for too long and I want to be back with them."

Andrew and Mona looked at one another.

"We'd be happy to have you," Andrew eventually told his twin, "Both of you."

"Definitely," Mona added, "Becca?"

Becca paused.

"I'm not so sure I can forgive so easily," Becca finally admitted, biting her lip.

"Becca," her father started, "This is your aunt you're talking about."

"I know that daddy but I'm seventeen and I think I'm mature enough to make my own decisions about my own kin," she responded, "Look, this is something that is more than a black and white thing, this is a very grey area. You can't expect me to suddenly become close with family I have never met or never thought that I would meet, it's impossible for me to do this. I always saw grandma's face when Aunt Wendy was mentioned, that pain at her daughter going away and leaving. It may seem very un-Christian not to forgive, but I know that I will be guided by the right path somehow. This is not something that can be done easily. You have a history with Aunt Wendy, I don't and mom doesn't. Mom has that choice and she has chosen to absolve any blame. Look, I'm not saying that I'll never talk to Aunt Wendy, I want to get to know her and will try, but forgiveness comes a long way. As for Patrick, none of this is his doing and ya know, I am excited about having another cousin I've never met."

There was silence at the table.

"You know Andrew," stated Mona slowly, "I think Becca has a right to her own opinion."

"I'm fine with it Andrew," Wendy gave a half smile, "She has every right to what she thinks, I suppose my arrival was quite sudden for her. Becca sweetie, I do look forward to getting to know you and I hope that I am able to gain your forgiveness."

"I really hope that too," Becca replied sincerely.

"And I look forward to getting to know my little cousin," Patrick gave her an excited grin, he seemed a pleasant fellow.

Becca nodded in agreement before helping her mother with the plates. Biting her tongue as she loaded the dishwasher, she decided that it was wise not to say anything in the presence of Mona even though she knew that she somewhat agreed but was too polite to say a single world on the subject. They headed back out into the living area, where they found Wendy and Patrick putting on their things.

"Oh, you're leaving?" Mona asked.

"Yes," Wendy put on her jacket, "We don't want to burden you for too long, we imagine Becca has lots of homework and that you and my brother have a lot to discuss. As for me and Patrick, we need to talk about how we are going to do this, this moving to Lima. It's a lot for one night, for both of us. Andrew suggested we all do something as a family soon, I hope to get to know you as my sister in law. I wished that I had attended your wedding."

"So do I," Mona smiled.

"I was thinking Wednesday for bowling or something," Andrew suggested, "Neither of us are working late that night, are we? Becca has no Cheerios after school."

"It's date night for me and Ryder," Becca interjected.

The look on her face and tone of voice suggested that she was not interested in changing it. She was looking forward to some time alone with Ryder at Breadstix and had no plans to change it to accommodate happy families.

"Then is Friday ok?" Andrew asked, "Perhaps I can go to your hotel on Wednesday to help you sort out your moving plans?"

Wendy nodded, "Yes, I would quite like that. We better get going Patrick."

"Yeah, yeah," he raised a hand, "Nice meeting you folks."

"You too sweetheart," Mona smiled as Wendy hugged her and Andrew, wisely choosing to avoid hugging the unimpressed looking Becca. They walked them to the door, waving them off until their car had disappeared away from the road. Andrew shut the door before turning to his wife and daughter with a heavy sigh.

"You're angry at me," Becca observed quietly.

"No darling, I'm not," the blond shook his head, "I wish that you would be more forgiving but I respect your choice, even if I wanted you to think my way. We almost called you Sophia you know, it's Greek for wise and you have at least shown wisdom. Becs, please at least just think about it because I don't want my family to be torn apart again. Next time, just please try to be a little more co-operative with your aunt and cousin, it showed when you were annoyed."

Becca nodded sadly, "Sorry daddy."

"Don't apologise darling, come here," Andrew held out an arm, indicating that Becca come to give him a hug, "I've got my two best girls with me, now my third best has come back too."

"I love you daddy," she whispered, "But I have to make up my own mind about this."

"I know, I know," Andrew gave her a sad smile; "I love you too peanut."

"I'll let you and mom be alone, I know that you have a lot to talk about," she released her father, making a start for the stairs, "Don't try and protest, I've said my piece and I know that you and mom will need to have that talk that parents do. Besides, I'm up to my eyeballs in French persuasive writing and the essay is not going to write itself."

Andrew nodded warily as Becca thundered up the stairs, ponytail flouncing behind her. Shutting her bedroom door, she flopped onto her bed and picked up her phone. Staring at it, she mentally wondered who to call- Ryder or Spencer. Eventually, she decided that it was neither and that talking herself to death would distract her from her mountain of AP work. Explaining it in person tomorrow would make life so much easier, once she'd calmed her exhausted mind. Out of respect for her parents, she would not be eavesdropping on the conversation at the door- she'd doubtless not hear them anyway, they were downstairs away from prying teenagers. Placing her phone to the side, she pulled out her French book and dictionary. Flipping them open, she clicked her pen and began.

 **Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed it. I wanted to highlight the more flawed version of Becca, with her stubbornness and unwillingness to forgive easily, however much it conflicts with her religious values.**

 **Next Time: Becca is still conflicted, but a date night with Ryder eases her troubled mind and as always, her boyfriend helps her come to a decision.**

 **Thanks again and hope you enjoyed it xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the support so far xxx**

 **Chapter 3**

Scowling at her reflection, Becca pulled down her hair tie. It was date night with Ryder and she had no idea how she was going to do her hair. She'd changed out of her Cheerios uniform into a dark patterned dress with a cardigan, but was stumped on how to style her hair to match it. Blowing on her fringe, she cocked her head and stared at all of her hair products- of which she had a lot. God, first world problems or what?

There was a knock on her door.

"Come in!"

Mona came in, "Hi sweetie, I've got your nail file; thanks for letting me borrow it."

"No problem; just put it on my desk."

She did as asked, observing her daughter playing with her hair.

"You want me do a plaited updo for you?"

"Ooh yes please."

Mona pulled a seat forward, taking Becca's brush and starting to gently pull it through her pretty blonde hair. She'd always been the type who had been good at doing her daughter's hair, being creative with it when she went to school. Unfortunately she couldn't do it that much these days with Becca having to wear a high pony every day, there wasn't much to be creative with. They sat in silence for a while before the Cheerio finally broke it.

"Mom, what do you think about the Aunt Wendy thing?"

Mona sighed as she started to do up her daughter's hair, "I think it's a complicated issue but we have to do what we can to make her feel welcome. We must turn the other cheek and forgive her for what she has done. It's not like she's done anything terrible like murder."

"I know, but I just still can't find it in myself to act as though this is happy stuff. Yeah it's not like she'd killed someone but she hurt daddy, grandpop and grandma by running off and doing heroin before literally running away as soon as graduation had finished and the police could do nothing because she was an adult doing it of her own free will. Nobody knew where she was, they probably thought she was dead. She then walks back into our lives and expects forgiveness, the family she always wanted. She didn't even know you or I existed. Now daddy wants us to go and do bowling or whatever to pretend this is the way it's always been. Like I think she's a nice person and I like Patrick too but it doesn't mean that we're suddenly besties. The worst thing is that I feel like God isn't pointing me in the right direction here. I've prayed and prayed, but I just cannot see the right answer in front of me. I know that the Bible says God will not forgive my sins if I do not forgive others, but I'm just finding it so hard to do the right thing. Even if I forgive her, I feel like a piece of me will always be pushing her away like she has done. Like how am I supposed to suddenly be super close with her like daddy expects us to be?"

"Becca sweetie, we're tested every day. It's ok that you don't know what to do, nobody knows everything- not even Einstein did and he was super smart. Yes, it's hard but just think how much it would mean to your father is his sister and daughter got onto together, just do it for him. Please just try to develop at least a cordial relationship with her, even if you're struggling in your heart to do what is right. What have your friends said?"

"Bree basically said screw her, Spencer said I should just get on with it and Ryder said he'd support me whatever, but I plan to ask him tonight what he thinks."

"Maybe Bree's idea isn't the best," Mona gave a wry smile, "Do what's right for you. The right path isn't always the easiest, but God will help you and eventually you will know what to do. Your father will understand, I'll make sure that he will."

"I guess you're right."

"I always am," her mother laughed, "There, you like it?"

Becca admired herself in the mirror, "I love it, thanks mom."

"No problem darling," they heard a knock at the front door, "That'll be Ryder. I'll let him in while you gather up your things."

She kissed her on the cheek before rushing downstairs to get the door. Putting her shoes on, Becca pushed everything into her bag with one last check in order to not keep Ryder waiting. Pattering down the stairs, she immediately felt enveloped in the warmth that his smile gave.

"Hi you."

"Hey," he grinned, "I love the hair babe."

"Aww thanks," she touched it; "My mom did it."

"It's great Mrs. H."

"Your sweet Ryder," Mona smiled, "Your dad will pick me up soon; I reckon that we'll be back about nine- it's not a very long film."

"Ok," Becca nodded, "We'll head off, bye mom."

"Bye you two, have a good time."

They headed out of the front door, Mona closing it behind them. As soon as they were out of sight, they began their passionate kissing. Neither liked to do it in front of their parents, as they tended to get pretty heated when they did it. Becca savoured in the feeling of Ryder's lips against hers, his body close and hands around her body.

"If there is one thing I am never going to get tired of, it's this," Ryder stated as they headed down the steps to his car, him immediately opening the passenger door for her.

"Believe me babe; I feel the exact same way."

The usual karaoke session happened in the car to Breadstix, both singing loudly and proudly. It was something that they loved to do together, simply because it felt like their thing, especially when the song was a duet. Of course many people sung in the car, but the pair always made it a real performance. Often Ryder would put his heart out into a romantic solo for Becca, who always giggled throughout the performance but gave him a kiss as a reward.

Arriving at Breadstix, they walked hand in hand into the building and to the table, which turned out to be one of the smaller ones where the chairs could go together. Becca liked those ones the best because she could cuddle Ryder whilst they were waiting for their food.

They both ordered, Ryder holding out his hand on the table for Becca to take.

"I think I'm starting to finalise my college choices."

"Oh?" Becca asked. She had been Queen Prepared over summer, but none of her friends had made the progress that she had. Ryder had been unsure, still worrying that his dyslexia would be a hindrance even though he'd come leaps and bounds ever since the diagnosis. Becca had wanted to go to Harvard since she was four and wanted to be a scientist for even longer, but Ryder had no great aims for his college or his major like she did. In fact, he had barely idea what his life plan was. Marley wanted to be a singer, Unique wanted to be a fashion designer, Jake a dancer and Kitty a creative arts pastor (whatever that was).

"Yeah, I think I want to be a business major. I want to be like, the next CEO of some big corporation. It's gonna be creative, like I'll do something that makes a major change to people's lives. You know, I've always wanted to do something to help dyslexic kids, like books and resources."

"Ryder, that sounds awesome," she put her hand on his, "Totally awesome. Have you thought about where you actually want to go?"

"There's quite a few colleges who take into account dyslexia and things like that. I can get into an ok college but most big schools like Ohio State would be a reach unless I got a football scholarship, which I doubt at this point. There's a few colleges in Ohio and Indiana which look good, not the big state colleges but some of the smaller ones. I've booked in with Mrs. Pillsbury to look at them; I think I need to start looking properly."

He chuckled slightly.

"Well babe, when Ryder Lynn, revolutionary CEO is Time Magazine's Person of the Year, I will be the first in line to buy a copy."

"When Dr. Becca Hamilton, Harvard alumnus, wins the Nobel Prize in Medicine for creating a cure to a major disease, then I will be in Sweden clapping in the front row."

"There's no guarantee I will get into Harvard," Becca reminded him, "It's so hard to get into, good grades and extra curriculars alone won't get me. The acceptance rate is in the single figures, there's no guarantee unless you're royalty or like Obama's daughter or something. They're super selective; a perfect SAT score would barely even get a look. I'm applying because I feel like I have a chance but at this point I have no idea. Even Caltech is a stretch now because it's going so high up the league tables. I'm thinking UPenn or Carnegie Mellon. Still, Harvard is the dream."

"I think you'll do it."

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not," Ryder shook his head, "Beyond the grades and extra curriculars, I really believe you have a shot. Your application is really great and you'll ace your interview. They look for people who will change the world and I believe that's you. I mean, you've co-captained a Cheerios squad to a Nationals victory and the State Mathletes won, it's not like you did the Science Olympiad at regional levels, you've led stuff. You're gonna ace the interview too; you're so charming and fun. They're gonna love you."

"Damn I wish you were interviewing me."

"You'll be fine, I believe in you," Ryder smiled, "Anyway, how are you?"

Becca sighed and Ryder immediately knew what was going on.

"Can I vent about it?"

"Hold on," Ryder mimed opening his ears further, causing Becca to giggle at the joke, "Right, my ears are all open babe. Lay it on me."

"I just...can't forgive her. I don't know Aunt Wendy at all, the only thing I know about her is that she ran off to shoot up heroin in San Francisco with a bunch of other addicts. My dad wants us to be a family again, going to bowling and the movies and all that like we've always been that way. I want to be good to her but I just can't seem to bring myself to open my heart to someone who broke my dad's heart. The worst thing of it all is that I don't feel a good person about it. I know that I'm not a Christian who abstains from alcohol, wears modest apparel and wears a purity ring. That doesn't necessarily mean anything to me, I go to parties and have sex with you, but I also try to care for people, help those less fortunate than me and treat people with respect. The Bible is _so_ clear about forgiveness, it's as clear as the Ten Commandments. If I don't forgive Aunt Wendy, I won't be forgiven. She's a nice woman and it means so much to my dad for us all to get along, but I'm always going to hold her running away for years against her. It's exciting to have a new cousin to get to know, but even with Patrick there's something holding me back. I got close to you and Bree and Spencer quickly but that was of my own vocation, not because I was forced to by blood. We share DNA but that seems to be it."

"You're not being a bad Christian."

"You don't understand how hard this is Ryder. I feel so conflicted within my own heart, I'm being tested and it worries me about the future, because what if something much harder than this comes up? The worst thing is upsetting my dad. He loves my Aunt Wendy and really wants us to be a family, I want to be good for him but I can't force myself to do this all for him. My mom seems so chill about but I'm not."

She shrugged as Sandy brought the food.

"Do you want my honest opinion?"

"Please."

"Your aunt has probably spent the last twenty years beating herself up over what she did to your parents. The drugs thing wasn't great, but most people dabble in the weaker stuff at least in college so I imagine that's not what your upset about. I can understand your hurt about her upsetting your family, but remember that she was heavily addicted to hard drugs and though of course it was her choice, addiction is a pretty awful thing. The fact she sobered herself up when she had a son with no support from anyone is pretty impressive, a lot of people would have relapsed. Your aunt is clearly not perfect but what person is? She worked hard to get an education to support her son and get away from charity and welfare. She raised a son single handedly for years, got them into a house and never once fell back into her old ways. Isn't she the definition of hard work and spirit? She was in a hard place but she fought her way back up with nothing but faith and hard work. Yeah, you guys may never be super close but a lot of family members aren't, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Just try to hang out with her, baby steps, start with family and then do stuff on your own like coffee. As for Patrick, he'll be nervous moving halfway across the country like you did so do your best to make him welcome. You're such a good person Becca, you're so kind. Yeah, maybe not forgiving Wendy is something that isn't ideal but you're never going to be without flaws. You have helped me with homework for months, you always volunteer for the homeless and you took Katie Porter under your wing like a mother bird. Helping your cousin is just right. I believe that you can and will work through this, just like you'll be at Harvard this time next year. Whatever you do, I'll support you but I really think that building bridges with Wendy and Patrick will help you so much. You never know what memories and experiences you could share with them."

Becca paused.

"You always know what to say," she eventually stated softly, "But I guess...I guess you're right, I'll still have to see though."

"Like I said, it's your choice," Ryder shrugged, "Other than that, any venting? Nothing about your mountain of AP classes."

"Believe me when I say AP Chemistry is much, much easier than family," Becca laughed, "I miss Calculus with you though, it was kind of like of our special time together in the day. Mrs. Brien is a great teacher as well, I do like Mr. O'Connor though but it's not the same."

"Yes, because differential equations are _so_ romantic."

"Exactly. I reeled you in with my math charms," Becca mimed a fishing rod, "Falling in love over equations, like something out of a fairytale."

"I think I spent more time looking at the hot blonde sitting next to me than doing math."

"Oh, so I was a distraction was I?" the blonde giggled, "Thank God I'm not next to you this year, I'd worry about you not graduating. Who do you sit with anyway?"

"This junior called Frank, no worries about distraction. Dottie Kazatori is in my class, but she sits at the opposite side of the room."

Becca's eyes narrowed to slits. She still didn't like Dottie because the younger girl kept making comments about Ryder's shoulders. Dottie was perfectly entitled to think that, but Becca didn't like it because they were her boyfriend's hot arms, not some weird little junior who was a plaything for practically everyone. Next time she did it, Becca may have to tell her to shove it.

"I shouldn't have said that," Ryder chuckled.

"It's fine, I won't kill her."

"Good, because then I won't have to kill half the male population for lusting after you. Bobby won't shut up about your ass in the locker room; he knows I can hear him as well. With Dottie, it's just her, but all them, they'd do anything to break us up."

He looked a bit dejected.

"Babe," Becca put a hand on his shoulder, "I would never cheat on you and in the metaphorical incident that I did; it wouldn't be with him or any other meathead like him. I love YOU and no one else; you're the only person I want to be with- absolutely no one else compares to you. Bobby can say all the misogynist shit he wants but at the end of the day, I would rather flunk every exam ever and go to a community college than even kiss him. I'll always be with you, always you. You're the best guy a girl could ask for, you're everything to me. Besides, our sex is pretty mind blowing and I am not about to give that up for some guy who can't even please himself."

"You're the best babe," Ryder leaned in for a kiss, which turned into a rather passionate make out session again.

"Speaking of which," Becca went back to her food, "My parents are out tonight, maybe you could come back for a little bit?"

She batted her eyelashes.

"Believe me, you don't need to do that, I'm sold."

"Good. I'm just going to the bathroom, be right back."

She kissed him on the cheek, going off to do her business. When she returned, she was about to sit down but tripped over the handle of her handbag. With lightning fast reflexes, Ryder was up off his seat and caught her immediately in his arms.

"You ok babe?"

"Yes, thanks to you," she laughed as she dropped into her seat, "Sir Ryder Lynn, the knight in a shining letterman comes to save me."

"Ah yes. The knight Ryder Lynn came to the rescue of the beautiful princess when she clumsily fell over the castle and was kindly rewarded with a kiss from the fair maiden."

He looked at her hopefully.

"You're such a smoothie," she rolled her eyes playfully before kissing him.

"You wouldn't have it any other way, baby cakes."

"Oh God, please NEVER call me baby cakes again."

"Ok honey sugar."

Becca playfully flipped him off.

"Can I have some of your macaroni please?"

"Go for it."

"Thanks," Ryder took some from her plate.

"At least you ask, Spencer's like a pigeon, he takes without asking. Over summer I was at his, I went to the bathroom and came back to him having taken half of my fries and pizza. He got his fork and shovelled it in his mouth like a pig. I swear to god he's gonna have a heart attack when he's thirty with the amount of crap he eats. I wouldn't mind but he steals my food all the time."

Ryder laughed.

"Well I promise I won't steal. The only thing I've ever stolen is your heart."

He did some finger guns.

Becca groaned, "That was awful."

"C'mon that was good."

"It was awful babe, I'm sorry."

"You know I read this article the other day about why living in Switzerland is good."

Becca raised her eyebrows, "Go on."

"They say the flag is a big plus."

The blonde let out a deafening sigh, throwing her head in her hands. The waitress came over to pick up their finished meals, baffled at the sight of Becca.

"Are you ok, sweetie? Is she sick?"

"He made a bad joke," Becca mumbled into her hands.

Ryder was next to her, trying not to laugh heavily.

"Boys," the waitress shook her head, "I'll take your plates. Will you guys want a dessert?"

"Can you give us five minutes to decide to please?"

The waitress nodded, heading away. Becca went back up, sighing and shaking her head at her grinning boyfriend.

"Are you bothered about dessert?"

Becca looked up from the menu, "Rushing are we?"

Ryder went red.

"Do you want to share a giant cookie shaker?"

"Go on then," he grinned, "Usually I have to convince you."

"It was hardly me convincing you," she shot back, ordering when the waitress came back. Only a few minutes later did the giant sundae arrive with two spoons for them.

"Slow down," Becca laughed as Ryder began to wolf down his ice cream.

"What? It's good," he replied with his mouth completely full.

"Spencer told me you guys are having an invitational in a few weeks."

"Ah yeah, we've got quite a good set list going. We're not expecting many people though, just our parents and siblings. Still, it'll be fun and it's good practice for sectionals."

"Well, I'll be there," Becca smiled, "I'll bring my parents as well."

"Thanks babe, I can always count on my Cheerio," he went to play with her hair, "Also, we're having a family reunion soon and you are invited to come. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, everyone. Everyone has heard a lot about you from me, and my mom, so yeah; I really want you to come."

"Way to spring it on me."

"So you want to come?" Ryder asked hopefully.

"Of course," she smiled sweetly, "Anything for you."

"Thank God, you can field all the questions. Just tell them about Harvard."

"Which I haven't got into yet," Becca reminded him.

"Still," Ryder shrugged, "They'll eat it up. I'm not really sure when it is but I'll let you know the details when I find them out."

"Awesome."

Becca found herself relaxed as they laughed and joked over dessert, the perfect foil for her mind. She always felt happy with Ryder, simply because he was so comfortable to be around. They could talk about anything and just let off some steam, which was great because they had a very communicative relationship. She found herself listening to his bad puns as usual, he had so damn many. The dessert was delicious as usual, even though it was completely against Sue and Roz's Cheerios diet that all cheerleaders had to stick to. Usually Ryder was the one to talk Becca into having dessert, but this time she just wanted some fatty, sugar filled food and not care about it. She was fairly healthy in eating but God she loved her cheat days.

"Shall we get the bill?"

Becca nodded and Ryder flagged down the passing waitress. She brought the bill, the teens paying it before grabbing their things and heading out the door.

"Your jacket is super nice," Becca observed, as she cuddled against his arm, "And comfy."

"You wanna try it on?"

Becca nodded, putting her arms through and seeing how the sleeves went well over the end of her fingertips. Casually slipped over her dress, she raised her arms and spun around excitedly, almost tripping over her own crossed ankles.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Amazing," Ryder raised his phone, capturing Becca mid shot as she danced on the curb edge. A couple of snaps later and the blonde joined him on the road, lining arms as they headed into the car. Once they were settled in the vehicle, Ryder asked which photo Becca preferred before posting it on Instagram with the caption 'when your girlfriend looks better than you in your own jacket.'

"Hmm, this is comfy," Becca cuddled into it, "I might keep this."

"You damn well aren't," Ryder shook his head, "You already stole my hoodie."

Becca smirked as Ryder revved up the engine. He'd worn a hoodie to Becca's house one time and had taken it off when it go too hot, leaving it accidentally when he'd gone home. Becca had snapped him to tell he'd forgotten it, followed by an immediate snap after it with her wearing it to say that she was keeping it. Ryder had kept trying to get it back but Becca had worn him down by batting her eyelashes and saying that she liked it because it 'smelled like him.' Eventually he'd given it, reasoning it wasn't one of his expensive hoodies. Besides, he couldn't resist Becca when she looked all cute at him like she did. He could barely resist Becca _anyway._

"I was thinking we could start study sessions, I was thinking maybe with Spencer, Alistair and Roderick as well," Becca mused, "Now we're in senior year we have to keep our grades up and it gets a lot harder as we approach college. We could alternate between subjects each week or fortnight, maybe alternate houses as well."

"Sounds good," Ryder nodded, "I think we'd get distracted if it was just us."

"Obviously," Becca smirked.

The two rapped to the music with varying degrees of success, going through the streets. In front of them, a car sped from a side road unexpectedly, causing Ryder to slam on the breaks. His arm went straight in front of Becca as the car screeched to a halt.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks babe."

As the car in front rushed off, Becca flipped him off so that he could see it.

"I can't believe you put your arm out for me," Becca cooed, "Thank you baby."

She kissed him on the cheek, Ryder going ruby red. They finally arrived outside of Becca's house, going inside the building. As soon as Becca had locked the door, Ryder spun her around and the pair began passionately making out, hands all over each other. Ryder scooped Becca up so that she was straddling him, going backwards up the stairs to her room. Door slammed shut, they began to remove some of their clothes, Becca grabbing a condom for Ryder to use. Once that was on, they began, but not before Becca took off her cross necklace- she didn't like wearing it during sex, it made her feel weird.

"Can you stay for a bit?" Becca asked when it has finished. She was cuddled up to Ryder, her hair now ruffled and skirt hitched right up. Her head on his chest, she listened to his heartbeat.

"Of course babe."

They lay in silence for a while, not a single word between them before Ryder broke the silence.

"Hey Becca?"

"Mm?" she asked, Ryder's fingers playing with her hair.

"What happens if I can't do senior year?"

Becca's head propped up, turning to her boyfriend with a confused eye, "Huh?"

"It's just...senior year is supposed to be really tough, right? You're supposed to be preparing for college, starting the transition away from school to actual life. My grades are a lot better since the diagnosis but I'm still not as good as I could be. I struggle with spellings and words I don't understand, don't get me started on math and science. Yeah school, I have support like with Mrs. Penkala, Dr. Ryan, my parents, Mrs. Pillsbury, Mr. Schue and you but I won't have that at college. I get they help students with dyslexia but there's independence. What happens if I struggle and can't keep up with the other students? McKinley really helped me. I got into Glee club, made friends with people I never thought I would and finally got an explanation as to why I was behind everyone else. Hell, I never thought I'd meet a girl I could truly love, especially with what happened after Marley, but I met you. They say high school is the best four years of your life. What if it is? What if I can't crack this?"

Becca was upset with how hurt Ryder looked.

"Mr. Penkala said that you're smart, right? Your brain is just different, you're missing a part. There is no way you are dumb and you are going to get through senior year because I truly believe that you have the smarts and the drive to do this. Senior year is tough, everyone is scared. SATs are over though; you don't have to worry about that. Yeah college teaches you to be more independent but they aren't going to just leave you in the lurch. Your parents are always gonna be there for you and so am I, we can Skype if you're stuck on anything and we're still always gonna be in contact like we are now. We have months to go. We're gonna study together and just make sure that it's just the best we can do. There's gonna be camping trips, endless breadsticks at Breadstix and I'll get you the free slushies from that 7/11 cashier who has a crush on me."

Ryder nodded, kissing her head.

"To tell you a secret, I'm a bit nervous too. College applications are getting closer and I find out if I'm a National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist soon. Spencer is praying to get a football scholarship and to get drafted into college football. Jake is going for dance school. Everyone has their own little worries, you aren't the only one but they are so unfounded. High school is over in another nine months, but we have seventy years of the rest of our lives to do what we want. When you're in college, when you're in your big job, you are gonna think that your high school troubles were nothing."

"You have nothing to be worried about babe, you're gonna be in an Ivy League or whatever in a year's time."

"Then neither have you," Becca assured, "You're gonna go to a great college and become that CEO that you want to be."

"I guess you're right," Ryder moved Becca closer to his chest, "How is it that you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Know what to say," he responded, capturing her lips in his, "God, I really don't want go but my Spanish is not going to do itself as much as I pray that it does."

He put his trousers back on, reaching for his jacket before he realised it was missing. Turning around, he saw Becca trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Jacket," he held out a hand.

Becca moved her hand from where it was laying against the bed, giving Ryder back his jacket. He shrugged it back on. The blonde slipped off from her bed, taking Ryder's hand and following him down the stairs. Reaching the door, she went back to give him a hug.

"I enjoyed tonight. First of many more, eh?"

"First of many more," Ryder agreed, "Thanks for the advice."

"If you need me to help with your Spanish, just drop me a message."

"You don't take Spanish babe."

"I can still help," she shrugged lightly.

"Well thank you, my dear," Ryder kissed her nose gently before going for her lips again; "I really have to go now, temptress. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Let me know how things go with your aunt."

Becca nodded, "Of course, thanks for your help. As always."

"Great, love you."

"Love you too."

Becca stayed at the door, waving until Ryder had completely gone from her street. Once she had shut it, she went back to her room and picked up her phone. Staring at it, she picked a contact.

Letting it ring, she took sharp breaths until the other person answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Aunt Wendy, it's Becca."

"Oh hello sweetheart," Wendy sounded surprised, as Becca had expected, "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you maybe wanted to hang out this weekend or something, like a girls' weekend? They have this ugh, nice spa between here and Toledo then maybe we could have sushi? You don't have to if you don't want to; I just thought it might be fun..."

She trailed off.

"Oh I'd love that," Wendy was thrilled, "Um, shall we maybe arrange it tomorrow at bowling?"

"Yeah, yeah, sounds good," Becca agreed, "Well, I have work to do so talk to you later?"

"Sounds good, bye sweetie."

"Bye Aunt Wendy."

Pressing end on the call, Becca sighed with delight. Dropping into the bed, she lay on it and smiled. All was right.

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed Chapter 3 with some Ryecca fluff.**

 **Next Time: Tension between Ryder and Becca is created when they are caught up in Bree and Kitty's rivalry, both forced to take a side.**

 **Thanks again and I hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for all the support so far, it's great x**

 **Chapter 4**

Becca always knew when Bree was formulating one of her plots, simply by that expression on her face. Smirk on, eyes slight and head slightly cocked, it was what her blonde bestie liked to call 'The Bitch Bree Look,' much like Spencer called Becca's bitchy side 'Queen Bitch mode.' When Bree had that expression, Becca got worried because she knew what her co-captain was like when she had an idea in her head. There was nothing much Becca would do at this point; she would just have to see what Bree wanted to do that day. She'd learnt pretty quickly that Bree was not to be stopped, especially when she was ready for revenge- such as when she'd got her own back on the losers who had messed up prom earlier in the year.

Today was one of those days. Becca was in the corner of a corridor pouring over her notes when Bree strode over, expression on her face from the first moment. Zipping her folder shut, she waited for Bree to come over.

"What are you planning?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Bree, I know when you've got something in mind," Becca gave a half laugh, "Spill."

"I was thinking we could have a little fun in the Class President election," Bree did a little half shrug, smile on her face.

"Why?" Becca asked, fairly confused. She had absolutely no interest in who would become Class President- she'd vote of course, but wasn't campaigning and wasn't fussed about signing up, even though it was one of those things many Harvard hopefuls would. Besides, even if she wanted to, the sign ups had already finished and everyone who wanted to was now signed up. Bree's interest made her even more suspicious, her friend tended to mock student government as a cohort of losers trying to be Senators one day.

"Because Kitty's running," Bree almost squealed with delight at the thought of one-upping her rival.

"Oh God really?" Becca groaned, rolling her eyes.

"So I think we know what that means..."

She motioned for Becca to follow her down the corridor.

"Right, so the other contender is someone called Jessica Dawson."

"Oh I know her, she was my table buddy in English, she's chill. I really like her."

"Fabulous. Well, the plan is to campaign for her, not campaign against Kitty necessarily even though we technically are. Still, we are going to make sure that Kitty Wilde and her VP, Medicaid Marley will not be getting their hands near the presidency. I am going to make sure that not only do the school turn to Jessica, they will turn against Kitty. The Glee clubbers get everything in this school and this is something they will not get. When they see how much her own cheer mates are against her, they are going to see what she what a vile, vicious little creature she is. If Kitty Wilde gets class president, she is going to use absolutely everything in her power to destroy us, but she will not get that chance. Class Presidents are those you can trust, who you want to see in power- and those popular enough to get votes in some lame ass contest. We need to make sure that Kitty is seen as the person that no one can trust. It's easy because we don't even have to make stuff up, I mean, she gave Marley Rose an eating disorder. I can't stand the walking Les Mis poster, but still, that's something. You and me, we're a forced to be reckoned with. I'll be the campaign manager like I was with your _almost_ successful prom nomination; you'll be the charming face, winning the little people along with Jessica. Her VP is that Marissa Lake, you know that super pretty blonde? Anyway, we can pit two blondes and two brunettes against one another. There's so much we can plant in their ear, what if the fat lunch lady's daughter got power? It'd be like the less violent, high school version of Kill Bill. Still, we can't do too much against Marley because it'd be like kicking a puppy. We'd be like the puppet master and the brilliant thing is that Kitty couldn't complain about personal attacks, because it's all above board."

She did a little happy dance in the corridor.

"Are you sure about it being above board? It seems like a bit of a smear campaign to me," Becca asked, concerned. She had no intention of getting into trouble; she was too much of a good girl to the teachers.

"I wouldn't get my Harvard girl in trouble, don't worry," Bree linked their arms, "That's why we're going to be cautious, our little plan- just Aimee and Jordan need to know the specifics of it all. It's not going to be spreading stuff openly, like posters on the wall or anything- it's whispering in people's ears. We'll be careful, making sure that it doesn't go back to Jessica and Marissa. Start with kids who have no relation to the girls, spread it around. Remind them what Kitty Wilde is really like. Then we do everything else perfectly, nice posters for Jessica and Marissa, cheering for them at lunch and handing out cupcakes. It's perfect and it's simple."

"God you are a calculating bitch."

"Aww, thank you," Bree put a hand to her heart, "Do I need to ask if my best girl is going to help?"

"Of course not, I'm in," Becca assured her, a delicious sneer on her pretty face, "Besides, it's something I can put on my college application, helping out in an election."

"Exactly, silver linings," Bree patted her arm, "Now, I think we need to find Jessica and Marissa to lend our support. I think we can be pretty persuasive, can't we? I think I know what they look like, I checked my Facebook."

"They're over there," Becca pointed to some lockers, where Jessica, Marissa and their group of friends were stood. Their little group was nice, friendly but not overly well-known. None of them were super popular, but all were well liked in the school community. They'd do well.

Nodding at each other, they walked over to the others.

"Hello ladies," they chimed simultaneously, biggest smiles on their face.

All of them looked at the Cheerios, confused. They'd never had a problem with them- in fact Jessica was friends with Becca- but they didn't really know them that well. Besides, Bree didn't have that much of a reputation for being the friendliest person.

"Hi," Jessica finally managed.

"We just wanted to say congratulations on getting to the final ballot on the student presidential elections..." Becca started.

"Thank you," Jessica started.

"...And we'd like to help your campaign. In fact, we'd like to run it," Bree continued.

The girl group looked at each other, shocked. That wasn't what they expected.

"What...really?" Marissa asked, clearly sceptical.

"Now, I know what you're thinking- why would two super hot, popular girls want to have anything to do with the campaign?" Bree asked.

"Bree, not helping," Becca shook her head, "Look, I know we're not exactly your best friends but I'd say we get on well at least. I for one believe in you Jessica and I don't think it would hurt if we got involved in this. Both Bree and I have experience in running campaigns, we both have a lot of pull in this school and we're leaders as well. We can get the Titans bloc and help you get any swing voters, just like you can get people that trust you. Bree likes bossing people around and she's the one who said it would look good for applying to college. It's a great example of unity between the fairer sex, girls supporting girls- which is super important. We'll both listen to what you want and not boss you around; we'll do things your way but with our touch. The Cheerios printer is ours, our squad will help and Bree is a sick artist, she'll do a great job on posters and stuff."

' _Damn, you made that up on the fly?_ ' Bree thought, _'Go girl.'_

"So this has nothing to do with the face that Kitty Wilde is the opponent and you hate our damn guts?" Tori, one of their friends ask.

"Well, when you put it that way," Bree agreed vacantly, tilting her head to the side.

"This won't get personal," Becca assured, "We promise, nothing to get you in trouble. It's just us helping out. Yeah, we don't like Kitty but we really believe you'll be a better candidate than her. The best way to get that message out is for us to tell it- people will listen to us, and by extension listen to you. So, what do you say?"

She looked at them pleadingly, sincerely even.

Jessica and Marissa had a non-verbal conversation before the former broke out into a nod, "Ok, that sounds really great."

"Aces," a smile ignited on Bree's face, "Perhaps we should get together sometime? We can do the Lima Bean after school tomorrow- we'd do tonight but we have Cheerios practice."

"Sounds great," Jessica nodded, "I have Becca's number, we'll work something out. Thanks guys, you're the best."

"We know," Bree did a light shrug, "We'll see you later."

Turning on their heels, she and Becca headed down the corridor side by side. A simultaneous smirk appeared on their faces as they linked arms and did a fist bump. They were going to kill it and in a big way.

-FALL APART-

 _Two days later_

Kitty was brimming with confidence when she strode into McKinley High that morning, her friends around her. That confidence stopped when she froze, seeing what was in front of her. There were wall to wall posters of Jessica and Marissa, as well as banners and other decorations. Stalls on either side of the hall were being manned by several volunteers, badges, flyers and delicious sweet treats on the tables. The energy in the room was electric, students clearly getting excited and learning more about Jessica and the election.

"What the fresh hell is this?" Kitty hissed.

"It looks like a campaign to me," Jake retorted.

"Shut it Puckerman," the blonde ex snapped, "Since when did Jessica have this much support? There are Cheerios here."

"Ugh, I think our answer is walking over here," Unique prompted, nodding her head towards the incoming Bree.

"Hey guys," she gave a fake smile, "How're you doing?"

"What the fresh hell is this?" Kitty repeated.

"It's Jessica and Marissa's campaign," Bree chipped in lightly, clutching several folders to her chest.

"I know that- what are you doing here?"

"I'm their campaign manager."

"You're what?"

"Campaign manager," Bree repeated with a mocking chuckle, "See, I have great organisational skills and thought they would be best served helping Jessica win the election. As you can see, we've already got a great campaign going. Everyone loves the muffins and the cupcakes. Our buttons are flying off the shelves, you can see everyone wearing them- supporting Jessica Dawson, it's a really great photo of her, see? Ben-Israel has our poll numbers sky high this morning; it's all anyone is talking about. We're making student government interesting. I have to say, I think we have a real good shot of getting Jessica to the top. She'll make a really good student president, don't you think?"

Kitty couldn't stop her shock.

"What do you care about student government?" she eventually stuttered out, "I mean, why are you doing this?"

"Because I don't like you," Bree admitted easily, "And I don't want you to win because it would make you happy and I think McKinley deserves better than you. It's so easy to do as well, because it's so easy- we're defeating you through a campaign and there's nothing you can do about it. This is politics baby and we're playing like real campaigners. Everyone is going to learn that Kitty Wilde does not deserve to rule this school. Simple really."

"So you're doing this for revenge?" Marley asked.

"It's not really revenge as it is wanting to one up you. Besides, I have the best help a girl can get."

She turned around, indicating Becca chatting to people from behind the stall. Merrily laughing, the blonde Cheerio was clearly getting people in with her charms, leaflets extending from her palm.

"Your girlfriend's a real asset," Bree smirked at Ryder, who looked dumbfounded, "She's our Communications Manager, in charge of outreach and getting people on side. A gold star for that one, she's so witty and personable, unlike a certain girl running for President. I mean, she was more than eager to help on this campaign. I guess she's got an unknown hand for politics like me, I never thought it would interest me but here we are. I'd love to stop and chat but we've got the Muckraker doing some coverage and I need to prepare. Ciao."

Hair flicking behind her, she headed back to the stand, leaving five dumbfounded people behind her.

"We'll be ok, right?" Marley asked, "We'll just have to campaign better than them; that's all."

"I'm not so sure," Kitty frowned, "Bree plays dirty and that's exactly what politics is. She's out to get me. Come on, let's go."

The five managed to push their way through the crowds. Ryder looked back, catching Becca's eye and smiling back when she waved at him. Frowning when he turned his head around, he wondered if Becca was naive enough to think that this was just about an election. He wished her heart was in the right place, but something in him knew that Becca was completely aware of what she was doing. All Ryder hoped was this wouldn't get dirty, because Kitty, and Marley especially, didn't deserve mudslinging. Still, he felt like this was going to turn into an underhanded war.

-FALL APART-

 _Three days later_

Ryder was right. Kitty had called an emergency meeting in the choir room to discuss what had gone down. The promise of the campaign being above board was all nonsense, at least on Bree's end. Jessica and Marissa had pulled it off marvellously with debates and campaigning, so had Bree and Becca at least on the outside. Then the whispers had started. First it was basic stuff, about why someone who had been so nasty in the past was going for class president. Then it started getting darker, the story about the Kitty/Marley bulimia gate spreading around again. That was the true stuff. Then the rumours started, but nobody really knew the source. Kitty apparently said this, did this. Apparently she didn't care about this at all. People were whispering about having Marley campaign separately, because at least she deserved it. Unfortunately, some of the scandal was sticking to Marley, people questioning why she'd allied herself with someone who had been so horrible to her in the past. Furthermore, everyone was hearing that Marley wanted retribution for how her mother had been treated, starting by passing things that would affect the jocks and groups who were cruellest to the kind hearted lunch lady. Even though Marley had countered these attacks beautifully, such as a great speech at the debate about friendship and forgiveness that had upped their poll numbers. Still, the rumours stuck like mud and their numbers were down. In the choir room, Kitty and Marley had summoned Unique, Ryder and Jake to discuss their options. Nobody could quell rumours when they were at McKinley, especially five of the biggest losers. Kitty could go to Sylvester or another authority figure to complain about a smear campaign, but there was no proof Bree or Becca were behind it and even if that was proven, Jessica and Marissa could just drop them like a hot potato and continue without them.

In the end, no one could come to a decision about it. Kitty standing up and apologising at the debate had done nothing, because the few claps she received were drowned out by the entire Titans bloc, brought along by the cheer co-captains.

Finally, Ryder promised to talk to Becca and Kitty had agreed, mainly because she knew how her friend was feeling. In truth, Ryder wasn't pleased with Becca. He knew his girlfriend had her differences with her fellow cheerleader, but he also knew that Becca was behind this, though not wholly. She'd been very coy about the whole thing, just telling him she liked Jessica and wanted to campaign. Nevertheless, he'd seen Becca whispering in the hallways to students at the stand, as though they were all gossiping like hens. If it had been a straightforward campaign, Ryder wouldn't have cared that Becca was campaigning, but she was helping spread horrible stuff about some of his best friends, even if she didn't intend for it to be so cruel like Bree did.

Hopefully his girlfriend would take his side, they usually communicated pretty well. Walking down the corridor, he spotted her at her locker. Mentally deciding on the approach to take, he decided that the best thing for him to do was just be straight out with it so that she didn't have time to lie or weasel her way out of it.

"Hey babe," he strode over.

"Oh hey," she smiled as she arranged books in her locker.

"Can I ask you something?" he requested as he stood next to her locker.

"Oh that doesn't sound good," Becca joked, closing her locker and leaning against it with a smile, "What's up?"

"Are you purposefully trying to wreck Kitty's campaign?"

"I'm just helping Jessica, wrecking it's a stretch."

"Well, it's just that there's been more than a few rumours spreading around all of a sudden, it's like they appeared from nowhere. I don't think it's Jessica. Bree straight up admitted you guys were doing this because you don't like Kitty, so I'm asking you if you're doing this to ruin her because it's a pretty shitty thing if you are."

Becca rolled her eyes, "What's this about?"

"This is about all the rumours spreading through the grapevine about Kitty," Ryder responded, "For the last few weeks all I've heard is about how Kitty ruins lives, a vindictive bitch and is just a general bully. Digging up stuff from _sophomore_ year, when Kitty was a much different person is pretty low. Then I've heard all sorts of crap, stupid rumours like her continuing to backstab and try to undermine Glee club. Everyone is acting like she's a social pariah, it's ruining her life. I've seen her poll numbers; they are plummeting like the Titanic. Marley, she's already treated like shit and now everyone is associating with her Kitty like she's some dumb bullied girl who wants a taste of popularity. Whether or not they win the election, this is gonna stick to them like glue. High school is a shit place. I've already heard about the bullying the Glee clubs got before me and I've seen Tina get slushied at her senior prom, Unique's wigs flushed down the toilet and Roderick get wide load taped to his back. Kitty and Marley are my best friends, yet they are being smeared like nothing else. What I'm asking is if you have anything to do with it."

"Ryder, I just listen to the gossip like everybody else. I don't really listen to where it came from," she shrugged.

"Well it's funny it's all cropped up when the race has started and when Bree is chairing the campaign."

"Excuse me, what exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Bree is spreading lies about two of my best friends."

"You know I don't control Bree, right?"

"I know that. Thing is, I have seen you whispering and giggling with people at the stand. I may not be as smart as you but I'm certainly not dumb when it comes to my friends. I get you're trying to help Jessica win and I do believe you care, but you can do this by not helping peddle lies about my friends. You're not a malicious person Becs; I wouldn't be with you if you were. Can you just please stop all this nonsense?"

"Nonsense?" Becca snorted, "You are aware Kitty encouraged Marley into an _eating_ disorder right?"

"Yeah, what Kitty did was pretty shitty but she grew the hell up and realised it was wrong. She never meant to physically hurt Marley, it doesn't make it right but she wasn't as cruel as she needed to be," Ryder defended.

Becca let out a harsh laugh.

"Oh so it's ok then? I had a friend in Spokane who had bulimia, it ruined her. She was a walking zombie, she was completely bloated, she fainted a lot from malnutrition, they wondered if she would actually become infertile- it was awful. Kitty may have been naive as to what it would have done to Marley, but she still did it out of spite, simply because Jake liked another girl better. Rumours are basic; this is the truth being spread. I didn't start this, it's not my problem."

She shrugged dramatically.

"Don't lie, you know Bree started it."

"So what if she did?"

"Look, I get you and Bree haven't had the best time with Kitty," Ryder reasoned, "But this is..."

"...This is high school," Becca interrupted, "In a year's time nobody is going to remember this. I don't know what you're reacting like this. It's just some dumb school election, it doesn't mean anything."

"Exactly, this is high school," Ryder snapped, "So I don't know why you're doing this. It's easy for you. You've got Cheerios, you're on track to win a National Merit Scholarship, you have Mathletes, all that stuff. Harvard will be begging for you, any good school will be. Bree has Cheerios too, she's won art competitions, her portfolio for architecture school is amazing. It's not so easy for Kitty. She is on Cheerios but she isn't captain and she has Glee, but what else? It's even harder to Marley. Marley and her mom have to work super hard to get by; she doesn't have the same college opportunities because she is relying on scholarships or finance. Being Class President can make or break their application. You don't know what this is doing to them."

"I don't have a magic wand to fix this," Becca shot back, "I can't stop the rumours, can I? Like I said, this isn't to do with Jessica or anything; I don't know where this came from."

"Please, your friends are always the first to know anything- it always comes from them."

Becca raised her eyebrow, arms folded, "Fine, whatever, we gossip. Get over it."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not getting over this. This is more than just gossip, this is consistent mean comments designed to tear down Kitty, it's hardly effective campaign posters or buttons. Even though you don't like Kitty, can you not see what this is doing to Marley? Kitty may deserve some kind of dressing down but Marley has been nothing but kind and gentle."

"She's just collateral damage," Becca dismissed, "I'll make sure Jessica gives her a job."

Ryder was flummoxed. This wasn't like Becca at all, she was usually so nice to his friends, always defending them and treating them with respect, even if they weren't best pals. He'd never seen her in Queen Bee mode; he'd convinced himself that it didn't exist. Now she was happy to stir shit and watch his best friends suffer, all because she had a vendetta and wanted to do what Bree did. Becca was always so kind, the normal blonde wouldn't have the cold face and unrelenting nature that she did now. He felt anger rise up, anger that he'd never felt towards her. This was the girlfriend that defended him from bullies and was nothing but understanding about the babysitter thing. Now she had gone behind the popular girl mask.

"Collateral damage?" he repeated, astounded, "Is that what my best friend is to you? Just some pawn in your little Cheerios games."

"I said I'd get her a job, chill the hell out. I don't know what you're getting at me for anyway. I'm your girlfriend."

"So if Spencer and I got into an argument, you wouldn't take his side immediately?"

"I'd see what the argument was about first," Becca defended.

"Bullshit, you'd be on me like a rash if I upset Spencer."

"So what?" Becca sneered, "It's a political campaign, politics is dirty- if Jessica had done some bad stuff before, it would come up immediately."

Ryder shook his head, "So what about Bree? Yeah, Kitty helped Marley get an eating disorder and that sucked. Bree humiliated Tina, slushied her at prom when it was her one chance to shine. You've seen all the bullying PSAs in health class; you know what it does to people. It was cold and calculating, designed to humiliate Tina. Yeah, it was right towards senior year but this will stick with her forever. Also, Bree slept with Jake because Marley refused to put out. Imagine if that was me? You were so understanding about us, you were totally down for sex when I was and not a moment before. So what if Marley just didn't feel ready? It was her prerogative, yet Bree was still cruel enough to continue helping to cheat."

"First up," Becca held a hand in the air, "I have never said Bree is a perfect person. You know how I feel about adultery, it's a sin and you'll also know what I have never been ok with what she did to Tina, much like you've never been ok with the Kitty thing. Also, you're forgetting one key component in this little saga: Jake. Bree didn't use a love potion, Jake willingly found Bree to get sex. He wasn't 'nice' enough to do it once, he and Bree continued to do it. He who is without sin casts the first stone. Stop acting like Bree is evil when your friends are hardly brilliant. At least Unique and Marley are nice people."

Ryder frowned; he wasn't getting through to Becca.

"Just stop with this whataboutary, ok?" he eventually snapped, "Kitty has done some crap things. Jake has done some crap things. Fine, I admit it. Hell, I kissed Marley when she was in a relationship with Jake and it wasn't cool. Glee club helped us, we are all better people. Kitty had openly looked after and protected Marley and Unique, she's changed from what she used to be. Quinn, Puck and Santana were all like that before they shaped up and became better people. You and Bree are engaging in some Mean Girls warfare just because the person you don't like wants to become Class President."

"Oh boo hoo," Becca mocked.

"Seriously Becca, I think you're a lot of things but I don't think you're mean. I am asking for my girlfriend, who I love and trust, to stop doing this to my friends. You're being a bitch."

"You think I'm a bitch?" she challenged.

"I didn't say that, I said you're being a bitch- present tense," her boyfriend corrected.

"Oh, I know what you're thinking;" Becca stepped forward, "That I'm being some mean cheerleader stereotype, that bitch you see on TV and films. Don't deny it. I've seen the way you look at me, how you speak about Bree and the comments that you make. All you want for me is to be like sweet Marley Rose and dance around the courtyard arm in arm with Kitty."

"I don't think that, I love you because you're not some carbon copy bitch," Ryder practically shouted, "Stop bringing this back on me, this isn't about me. This is about you messing with Kitty for fun."

Becca snorted.

"Ok, you know what, fine? Yeah, we may have mentioned some stuff and not stopped the real stuff. Don't you dare think that this is me being cruel to Kitty and Marley. I've had enough of her raining on our parade, her constant comments about our relationship, not to mention how she treats my friends. She isn't a saint, but neither is Bree so stop pretending we live in a perfect world. I am sorry about Marley, I truly am and I will make sure that she gets a job in the administration. I am not going to be treated like the devil for doing what everyone else has done."

"Do you expect me to act any differently?"

"You could have just calmly asked me to take it down a notch and I would have," Becca replied icily, "Yet you had to come over and create a circus."

"You did a great job of that babe," Ryder hissed.

Becca held onto every urge telling her not to scream, instead deflating her shoulders. Ryder could see in her eyes that she was starting to deflate.

"Do you really think I'd sink this low?" she asked softly.

Ryder shook his head, "I didn't think you would babe."

"You're not going to break up with me, are you?" Becca asked, her voice finally breaking.

"No, of course not," Ryder assured, "Yeah I'm mad at you but I don't want to break up with you. I just want you to know what I feel, and that is that I think you've been needlessly cruel to two of my best friends. I know you Becs, I expect this from Bree but certainly not you."

There was silence for a moment.

"I didn't mean for it to get this far," she eventually admitted, "I just...I do promise that I have done this for Jessica, she's my friend, but I admit that I was out to get Kitty. Sure, I told myself it was just political campaign but at the end of the day, it was about one-upping Kitty."

She shrugged softly.

"I can't expect you to stop the tide," Ryder gave a wry smile, "Only one person can do that. Can you just try to stop gossiping or at least don't let anything new break out? Perhaps you could just campaign for Jessica honestly? I think that would be cool."

"I think I can try."

"Would it be a stretch asking you to apologise?"

"I think so," Becca laughed slightly, "I mean, it would basically admit we've been slandering her every chance we get and that would reflect badly on Jessica, she doesn't deserve that. I promise that nothing more will come of this in the next few days, I will make sure it's clean and honest. Look, the one person I will apologise to is you. I'm sorry for doing this to your friends. I played the victim and it wasn't particularly cool, so yeah, I am sorry."

Ryder held out his arms and Becca went into them, cuddling against his chest. He hugged her tightly against him, swaying her gently as her arms clutched around him. Becca always loved cuddling with Ryder considering how much taller he was than her, particularly when he put his chin on her head.

"I love you so much," she mumbled into his chest.

"I love you too Becs," he smiled down again.

"Our first fight," she commented lightly, "I think it went quite well all things considered, all sorted after five minutes."

"Oh for sure," Ryder agreed, "Kiss and make up?"

"Kiss and make up," Becca repeated, leaning up to kiss him passionately.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your car- you can tell me about how your admissions essay."

Walking off, arm in arm with one another, they chatted away like their argument had not just happened. Satisfied with what had gone down, Becca smiled up at Ryder. It was all so perfect.

But would it be for long?

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed.**

 **Next Time: The Glee club has an invitational, sparking jealousy from Becca when she sees Roxy.**

 **Thanks again, don't forget to pop a review down to let me know how you found it xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the support so far, it's fab xxx**

 **Chapter 5**

"Hey Ryder, wait up!"

Ryder slowed down to let Roxy catch up with her, the Guns n Roses shirt she was wearing bouncing against her chest. He smiled at her; the two had become very close over the past few months, with a similar personality and many similar interests. Ryder was the only one who knew Roxy's little secret. It was nothing devastating or life changing, but she still was too embarrassed to say anything and only trusted Ryder with it. She'd become good friends with KJ, Chloe and a few of the others but not like she had with Ryder.

"Hi Roxy," he smiled as they walked together, "What's up?"

"Wondering why Mr. Schue has called us all urgently to a Glee meeting in the break," Roxy frowned, "I mean, it's got to be serious if he isn't even waiting until after school. You don't think it's something to do with regionals, is it?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Ryder reassured gently.

"I hope so. Anyway, I was going to tell you earlier- VH1 is showing the US Festival again, in HD and new surround sound."

"Oh my god really? We'll have to watch it, when is it?"

"Friday night at seven I believe."

"Crap, I have plans with Becca then," Ryder bit his lip, "I'm sure she'll be fine to rearrange it if I explain what it is, she knows how important it'll be. You can come over to mine, we can watch it in the man cave and order takeout."

"That sounds awesome," Roxy nodded enthusiastically, "Hey, how about you invite Becca along? I don't mind being a third wheel."

"Well it's not really her kind of thing but I can definitely try, I want her to get into that kind of music. Plus, I'll just tell her about Fleetwood Mac and I'm sure that'll persuade her."

"Great," Roxy replied happily as they entered the half-full choir room, sitting next to one another. Ryder fist bumped Jake as he entered, his best friend dropping next to him. Spencer entered hand in hand with Alistair, in deep conversation as they sat at the back. KJ walked in, sending a charming and kind smile at Madison, who waved nervously back at her crush (well, she hadn't said anything but everyone knew of course, it was so obvious). Once the last person (Molly) entered the room, Mr. Schue went up to the front.

"Ok everyone, thank you all for coming to our emergency meeting."

"Is everything ok Mr. Schue?" Marley piped up.

"Yeah, Sylvester's not cancelling us is she?" Kitty asked.

"No," he pointed his marker at the blonde Cheerio, "But this happens to be about Principal Sylvester. She is trying to get our budget cut further. The school district is struggling to find money for everything, so Sylvester is going to the board to say that we are not a necessary club because we have choir and therefore do not enrich the school. This is at the same time Cheerios is getting its budget doubled to include more confetti canons. Now, I have it on good authority that the school board is touring McKinley today and I think we should put on a show for them. We show that the New Directions don't just move around on stage belting out Journey, we will prove that we are great and fun for the school. So I say, right now, we go out and invade the school with song- like with Blurred Lines and Take On Me. Everyone will be settling in class, but they and the board will be surprised by us getting our groove on."

He did a little dance, ignoring the horrified faces of his students.

"Question," Jake raised a hand, "Won't the school board be annoyed that we interrupt classes? I mean, we are in a school after all."

"Once they see how the school responds, they'll be persuaded. Studies have shown how arts and music increase happiness, grades and learning. A little song will have the school buzzing for the rest of the day, keeping them excited and focus. I checked all of our GPAs before you started Glee club and what they are now, and guess what? They've all improved. Choir may sing great, but they don't have the energy and dynamism that we have. A few of our members will remember what happened when the school tried to ban twerking- we put on a show for them and they loved it."

"So you expect us to nail a song on the fly?" Roxy asked.

"I was thinking that we practice Dancing on the Ceiling again," the teacher informed them enthusiastically, "We've been possibly getting it ready for sectionals and I think it's the perfect song- fun, full of energy and just about loving life."

There were nods, smiles and murmurs of approval from the Glee clubbers, all of whom had been enjoying the song.

"One thing," Kitty raised a hand, "Most of the school hate us and those who don't merely tolerate us."

It was true, everyone had really upped the ante against the Glee club in recent weeks. Slushies were abound, becoming even more prominent when the school board reissued a statement about them not technically being worried (even though they hurt like hell). The only one who seemed to be protected to Spencer, because everyone was shit scared of him and he was generally respected for his game skills. Kitty was also relatively feared but not like she used to be, the jocks were starting to talk back and the Cheerios openly mocking her. Ryder did have Becca as some form of protection, but still got shoulder barges and shoving during practice and in the locker rooms. Everyone else was fair game, receiving everything from light teasing to general bullying in the halls. Alistair was safe, but only when Spencer was nowhere in sight. Roderick, Jake, Marley and Unique bore the brunt of it- Roderick for being large, Jake for being poor and mixed race, Marley for being poor and the lunch lady's daughter and Unique for being transgender. Even as a collective, they were no longer safe.

"What kid won't want to skip class?" Mr. Schue asked, "They've joined us before and they will again, they enjoy a chance to move and most of all to miss math. What student would rather be studying than be in the halls having a fun time with their friends?"

"Have you met Becca Hamilton?" Spencer quipped, causing Roderick, Alistair and Ryder all to laugh. They all know how deeply studious Becca was from their study sessions and not much could tear the pretty blonde away from her education.

"I'm sure she won't mind. Come on guys, where's your enthusiasm?" Mr. Schue looked around the room at the befuddled teenagers, "Mason can do his flips, Kitty and Jake can dance together and you can all grab your friends. Ryder, dance with Becca. We've all got things to do. We're the New Directions and we never pass up an opportunity to show this school that we're not some freaks, but a dynasty. Let's go."

Everyone started to hesitantly stand but was almost blown back when Mr. Schue started the song.

 _What is happening here? Something's going on that's not quite clear._

 _Somebody turn on the lights, we're gonna have a party, it's starting tonight._

Everybody was immediately on their feet, following Mr. Schue out of the choir room and into the hallway. Streaming into the corridors, they immediately began an organised dance routine in the middle of it, several students immediately dancing with them. Heartened by the reaction, they went to invade the classrooms. Teachers went slack jawed as students entered, hopping up on the tables and throwing their papers in the air, stealing the classes away like the pied piper.

As promised, the school board was on its tour, the event happening normally until a stream of students burst into the corridor, singing and dancing loudly. In a small huddle, the shocked school board watched as excited teenagers shook and grooved in front of them. It started with the superintendent tapping his foot, ending with them joining the students moving from the school.

Becca was one of the students. Sat in math class, filling out the graphs for linear programming, her pencil flew across the page easily- God she loved numbers, as sad as that sounded. Like everybody else, her head snapped up when they heard the loud music. As suddenly as it had come, the door burst open and people entered the room. Becca managed to scramble her books onto the floor as KJ jumped on her table, half running and jumping on it, as many other kids did the same. Looking baffled, she managed a half laugh as Spencer rushed in. Taking her by the hand, he practically yanked her off her seat and dragged her into the hall, spinning her around.

 _Oh what a feeling, when we're dancing on the ceiling x2_

Spencer had gone ahead, but the girls were there. Standing together, they shimmied down the corridor to the cheers all of those entertained. Laughing as they did, Becca then moved to the side, clapped along. Through the crowd Ryder came, immediately going over to his beloved girlfriend. Standing against the lockers, Becca smiled as Ryder sang directly to her.

 _So come on, let's get loose!_

 _Don't hold back, 'cause it ain't no use_

 _Hard to keep your feet on the crowd, 'cause when we like to party we only want to get down!_

Taking her into the middle of the halls, the two jived together in unison, Becca laughed outrageously before Ryder grabbed her, spinning her around before dipping her. Once he'd pulled her back up, he pretend to go to kiss her but instead grabbed her arms and proceeded to tango them both down the corridor. When they arrived with the rest of the crowd heading towards the auditorium, they then held hands as they rushed down the hallway. Becca felt exhilarated, a smile radiating from her face as Ryder's fingers held tightly against hers- she loved the feeling of him against her (though it was usually in other ways).

Everyone rushed into the auditorium, onto the stage and back straight into a crowded dance. Becca and Ryder twirled together before being dragged away by their respective friends.

 _Oh what a feeling, when we're dancing on the ceiling x2_

Becca was dancing over with Jessica when something caught her in the corner of her eye. Turning slightly, she noticed Ryder and Roxy dancing together. She normally wouldn't be bothered, but they seemed a little close for Becca's comfort. They were laughing outrageously, seemed to be very into it all. Becca's eyes had narrowed to slits, trying to hide it as she danced. It hadn't escaped Becca's notice that they had become close over the weeks, hanging out all of the time. Still, she supposed it was just a dance and that she shouldn't be bothered.

Well, she wasn't going to let him win. Looking around for the person that would make him the most jealous, her eyes landed on Jake. Moving away from Jessica, she went over and grabbed Jake, who look at her confusedly.

"Let's dance!"

He shrugged and followed her into the middle, the crowd clearing for them. Listening to the chants of their peers, the pair moved together in an almost hypnotic way. It was obvious they'd both be good- Jake was a trained dancer and Becca was a cheerio- neither slackers in the dancing department. Becca found herself enjoying the more complex moves, such as when they went back to back, Jake flinging Becca over his head in an assisted flip. They danced for a little longer before parting ways, celebrating with a double high five.

The crowd stayed back, allowing people to go quickly to show off. Ryder did his worm across the floor, Kitty danced with Jake and the Cheerios twerked in the middle. As Becca twerked with the girls, she noticed Ryder staring at her ass open mouthed. Smirking, she bounced over to him and invited him to twirl her. It only happened for a second though, as the crowds thickened and Ryder went over to Roxy. Now scowling, she merely continued to dance with Spencer, Bree and the others.

Eventually, the song ended. At this point, Ryder was over with his best friends and had at least done one last quick dance with Becca before it finished. Everyone cheered excitedly, but Becca found that her claps were rooted in falsehood. Eyes locked on her boyfriend, she narrowed them as much as she could. Nobody was in a rush to go back to class, most people staying on stage to talk until the end of the period. Becca was about to talk to her friends when Ryder came over.

"You were great babe," she told him as he lifted her up happily.

"Thank you," he rubbed his nose against his, "It was great getting to dance with my beautiful girl; it is always a benefit."

Becca was about to reply when Roxy came bounding over, smile on her face and a bright hello to Becca as a greeting. It took everything in the blonde not to mutter 'oh great, it's you.' Instead, she switched on a fake smile.

"Hi Roxy, great job."

"Thanks Becca! Your moves are the best; I wish I could dance like you. I see Kitty in Glee club, you Cheerios can seriously move. No wonder you're co-captain."

"Becs is the best," Ryder confirmed, putting an arm around his girl, "Listen babe, you know we were supposed to go to the comedy club at Walton's on Friday night?"

Becca nodded.

"Well, erm, VH1 is showing the full session of the USA Concert all redone, like in HD and surround sound and it happens to be on Friday night. Roxy and I are, erm, planning to watch it so I was maybe thinking we could reschedule to next week or something? Oh, I think it'd be cool if you watched the concert with us, then we can have a separate date night just you and me next week?"

Becca's shoulders fell. _Stupid Roxy._

"I don't know if it's my kind of thing babe. I'm happy to reschedule so you can watch this but yeah, I'm not so keen on the concert- besides, I don't want Roxy to be a third wheel."

"Oh it's totally fine," Roxy interjected, "I mean, I don't expect you guys to be making out during it. Besides, I want to get to know you better. Yeah I get it's not your type of concert but it's got Fleetwood Mac in it which is fun. We can order in and hang out, it'll be super fun!"

"I've always wanted to get you into my world," Ryder teased, his arm wrapping closer around his girl, "C'mon, it'll be a laugh- hanging around with two awesome girls."

Becca frowned. She supposed the concert would be ok but she really didn't want to have to sit between Ryder and Roxy as they fangirled over rock music she had no interest in. Besides, the way the two had acted all close and pally hadn't won her favour. She had no intention of watching her jealousy increase tenfold seeing her hot boyfriend slather over Roxy Taylor. Roxy was ridiculously attractive, Becca was super jealous of just how pretty the brunette was. She was definitely supermodel worthy.

"I'll think about it at least," she offered as a solution.

"Yay!" Roxy clapped her hands excitedly, "I really hope you come."

"Gee, you really love this rock 'n' roll stuff don't you?"

"I do," the brunette nodded enthusiastically, "My parents named me after that Police song- yeah, yeah, I know it's about a prostitute but the point still stands. They call me Roxy after Roxy Music as well."

"As well as the fact it's short for Roxanne?" Becca responded mockingly.

"Yeah, I suppose," Roxy laughed lightly, not getting that the Cheerio was teasing her.

Mr. Schue then called them over. Ryder didn't even kiss her, wishing her a quick goodbye as he dashed off with Roxy. Sadly watching them, Becca then faked another happy expression to go over to her friends, not particularly wanting to get into a conversation about her jealousy with them. The Cheerios were giggling and gossiping when she felt a presence next to her.

"Becs, can I borrow you for a second please?" Katie's voice dropped, "Privately?"

"Sure thing," Becca quickly apologised to her friends before following Katie inwards towards the backstage. Once they'd stopped, Katie quickly looked to see if anyone was in the vicinity.

"What's up buttercup?" Becca asked, "Are you ok?"

"Promise not to say anything?" Katie asked nervously, her blue eyes wide as saucers.

"Holy shit are you pregnant?" the older blonde gasped.

"What? No!" Katie hissed, "First off, I'm still a virgin."

"You damn well better be Porter."

"Secondly, it's nothing bad, it's...well," a smile appeared on her face, "I got asked out on a date!"

Becca's face broke out into an excited beam.

"Holy shit!" the blonde almost screamed excitedly, jumping up and down and hugging Katie tightly to her, "Kit Kat that's incredible. Who...who is it?"

"You know Joey Longcross?"

Becca bit her lip, "I vaguely know the name, hockey team right?"

"Yeah, he is," Katie nodded, "He's a sophomore. I'm guessing you want to know what happened? Ok, so, he came up to me this morning before homeroom and introduced himself. He said that he'd seen me around a few times but was too scared to talk to me, but he'd decided to pluck up the courage after he'd seen me with you guys cheering for him the other day at the game. We talked for a little while and then he asked if I would want to go on a date with him. I said yes and we're going to Breadstix on Thursday."

"Oh my God, girl's got game," Becca pushed Katie's shoulder playfully, "I'm so proud of you, getting a jock as well. Is he cute?"

"Lemme get a photo, I added him on Facebook," Katie dug in her pocket and showed Becca his profile.

"He is cute, well done," the older blonde smirked.

"Yeah," Katie went ruby red, "Listen, I've never been on a proper date before so I was wondering..."

"...If I'd come over and help you get ready Thursday? Of course."

"Who else knows?"

"You're the first to know actually," Katie admitted bashfully, hands clasped behind her and body rocking, "I mean, you're like my big sister basically and that's kind of the thing you'd tell siblings, right? You're the one I look up to the most."

"Oh Kit Kat, you're gonna make me cry kid," Becca took her by the shoulders, "Make sure you tell Abby and the rest of your besties, girl chat is the best part of dates."

"I'm gonna tell mom tonight, by maybe keep it from dad, Jackson and Spencer for a while. You know how protective they can be, especially when you have two brothers who play football and are pretty large guys. Let's just keep it between us for now, hey? My brother doesn't need to know."

"Of course girl, I know where you're coming from. Still, your brother is going to find out when Joey picks you up for the date. He's not that dense."

"That's why I'll tell him on the night," Katie shrugged lightly, "Win-win. He can't react too much when he's not got enough time to prepare."

"God I cannot wait to be there for that," Becca laughed, "Still, Joey is gonna get the talk from me."

Katie shook her head, laughing.

"You're the worst Becs, but I love you."

"I love you too Kit Kat, gimme a hug bitch."

The two embraced tightly, Becca silently happy to have the lovely younger girl in her life.

They parted, Katie looking at Becca concerned, "You ok? You look a little funny."

Becca really didn't want to get into this with Katie, or really anyone, "I'm fine sweetie, just a little tired from all the dancing. You'd think as Cheerios would be better."

Luckily for her, Katie swallowed the lie easily.

"Yeah, I know right? I'm knackered. Listen, I'm going to talk to my friends; I'll text you later ok?"

"Ok sweetie," Becca nodded, watching Katie skip over to her friends excitedly. She hoped that Katie never lost that innocent excitement, that sweet and slight naivety she had. Katie reminded her so much of her younger self, from looks to personality. All Becca hoped that was Katie would never become obsessed with popularity and start to turn into one of the meaner girls, like she had managed to overcome. Becca knew she was never a mean girl exactly, but she'd always been part of that clique. After she'd graduated, she wanted Katie to become captain of the Cheerios and that meant she wanted to ensure Katie was up to the mantle.

Watching her celebrate with her friends, Becca smiled before heading over to Spencer.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Spencer observed his sister and her friends jumping about with glee.

"You know how teenage girls are."

"Annoying and shrill."

"Happy," Becca elbowed his stomach, "Such a meanie."

They talked for a while. By the time everyone was forced out of the auditorium, it was basically the end of third period so everyone quickly grabbed their things from the classrooms and went to the next class. Becca was still focused on the Ryder thing as Spencer headed off to his sports science class, the blonde going to her second favourite class- chemistry.

"Morning Becca!"

"Morning Elle," she greeted Elle Pearson, her lab partner.

Mrs. Jones stood from the board, telling them they would be simply working from the textbook and doing thermo chemical equations.

"Were you part of the flash mob then?" Becca asked as she bashed out numbers on her calculator.

"I was- Mrs. Windsor nearly didn't let us out of class but there wasn't much holding us," Elle chortled, "I saw you and Ryder together dancing, you guys are honestly the cutest. I dare say you're the cutest couple at McKinley High! Anyway, it was super fun. I know the Glee club can be a bit lame sometimes but it's all in good fun, isn't it? Besides, getting out of class with Mrs. Windsor is never a bad thing- she's a real bitch."

"Yeah, Ryder is the best," Becca agreed.

"I wish Declan was more like him," Elle sighed, putting her chin in her hands, "Ryder is so nice."

"You and Declan been fighting?" Becca asked, referring to Elle's boyfriend Declan Jones, the chair of the Film Club.

"We broke up," Elle muttered.

"Shit Elle, I'm sorry, I didn't know. Are you ok?"

"It's ok and thanks, I'm kinda upset but I'm managing. It happened last night, so still sore."

"What happened if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, it was kind of a long time coming, I broke up with him see," Elle exhaled, "This girl called Joni just joined this year. She started off just being his movie pal then I noticed they were hanging out more and more. Thing was, she seemed to like all the things he did. Movie wise it was all avant garde shit, like noir and old 50s Italian films. That was fine, but then they just always seemed to be hanging out together. Like, I enjoy movies casually like I'm sure you do and everyone else does but they are like movie soulmates. I'd try to arrange date nights but he'd be like 'oh I'm hanging out with Joni.' So I had enough, I confronted him and he admits he has feelings for her- not cheating, but feelings. That's when I decide that we have to break up. Even if the feelings were nothing, he could not guarantee that he wouldn't cheat on me so I had to end it. There was no way I could trust him, I'd rather he be with her openly than having her as a side thing while with me."

Becca felt fear settle into the pit of her stomach.

"So how did you know it wasn't just friendship?" Becca queried, "Like how did you know it wasn't so innocent?"

"It was just this gut feeling, I guess. They weren't friends in a way he was with Jasper or Finn; it was way more than that. It was the way he looked at her as well, not just that friendly way but this intense joy I couldn't describe. All the time it was Joni this, Joni that like nothing else mattered. He used to look at me the way he looked at her, with so much affection. All my friends told me about it, and then they said the same later about Joni. Even without all that, I just _knew,_ I knew in my heart of hearts that something wasn't right. It tore me apart, you know? I was never madly in love with Declan, but I did love him truly. I wouldn't have been with him if I didn't feel something for him, but I did and it hurt me. One time I read this quote online, it was right in the middle of it all. It said 'if you love two people at the same time, choose the second one because if you really loved the first one, then you wouldn't have fallen for the second.' It really hit me, right in the stomach. All of it just really hurt, but your feelings are amazing. I know people say to be logical and use your brain, but remember your heart is the primary organ and that it knows you the best. For me, that's totally true."

The fear still remained in Becca's stomach. Everything Elle had said had ignited her like a fire; she knew exactly what her lab partner was talking about. How she felt about Ryder and Roxy wasn't stupid jealousy, she felt right.

"I'm really sorry Elle, that's so shit. He doesn't deserve you; you're way cooler than him."

"Thanks Becca, that means a lot," Elle smiled sadly.

"Listen, a few of us girls are throwing a pamper party this weekend, inviting everyone who has senioritis or college application stress. You should come along, have fun with the sisters. I can pick you up and drop you back off if you want; it's at Jenni Gomez's house."

"Thanks so much Becca, I'll definitely take you up on that."

"No problem Elle, I'll add you to the group chat after this," Becca smiled, "It's gonna be so much fun- facials, pedicures and all that. You can forget Declan."

"Not too much though," Elle sighed, "We have matching costumes for Cody's Halloween party so I'm gonna have to see if I can get something else good by then."

Finally, something Becca was looking forward to. Cody's parties were legendary, but Halloween was one of Becca's favourite holidays so it'd be even better with that. The host had insisted everyone wear costumes and make a proper effort or they'd be kicked out without a second thought. Becca had heard rumours of amazing props and decorations, but didn't know for sure what she should expect. She knew, however, that it would be as amazing as always.

She'd be going as Carrie, complete with tiara, sash and fake blood (administered on a cheap white dress Becca had bought at Goodwill for a relatively good price that she could throw away afterwards). Spencer would be going as Slenderman, Bree as a scary clown, Aimee as an evil doll and Jordan as a zombie nurse.

Then there was Ryder.

Much to her surprise, he'd rejected hanging out with his friends at Halloween and had made the decision that he would be going to Cody's party. He'd enjoyed the post-prom party as well as a couple during the summer and had decided that he would have fun dressing up. It was the one ray of hope that Becca had, because he expressly wanted to have fun with _her._ On top of this, Roxy would not be going to said party, though truthfully she didn't know what Roxy would be doing this year and didn't care to know. Ryder was either going as a scarecrow or as a zombie.

"Don't worry, I won't prank him at the party and scare the shit out of him," Becca teased.

"Believe me, I would not mind if you did- he's an asshole," Elle scowled, "I envy you and Ryder so much, I think a lot of people do. No huge drama, no massive fights and no cheating like most of the Glee club or Cheerios do. You must be so happy, not to have that extra burden on you when you're applying to Harvard."

"Yeah, it's great," Becca lied.

"College boys are better, more mature, I can't wait for that."

Like Becca, Elle was scientifically minded and was hoping to go to the fairly prestigious Georgia Tech in the fall to study chemistry. She had the grades, extracurriculars and drive to back it up, so Becca was really rooting for her.

The rest of the lesson was a grin and bear it for Becca as Elle talked about relationships and boys. It was fair for her to assume that Becca and Ryder had the perfect relationship, after all they projected it perfectly to everyone. They were the golden couple of McKinley, but Becca right now felt that she was in bronze. When the bell rang, everyone packed up and was relieved to find no homework from Mrs. Jones. Elle and Becca parted in the cafeteria, saying goodbye to one another and sitting with their own friends. As promised, Becca put Elle in the group chat for the pamper day immediately.

Sitting with the other populars, she listened to them as they bitched about the performance even though they'd all been more than happy to skip class and dance around happily. Her head turning to the Glee table, she focused herself on Roxy and Ryder. They were seated next to one another, laughing outrageously at something one of them said. At one point, Roxy even touched his shoulder.

Both noticed Becca looking over, the pair waving at her. Becca waved back as quickly as possible before dipping her head to further avoid their gaze.

Whether Elle had known it or not- and she definitely did _not_ know it, she had sparked something in Becca. She was not one to jump the gun, but the cheerleader would be keeping a close eye on the situation. Perhaps it was all in her head, but something told her she was on to something. Becca was very smart, everyone told her, but was she so smart on this?

 **Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it's so short, I struggled quite a bit on it and essentially it was a filler chapter designed to sow the seeds of discontent between Ryecca. It will be the story arc for the next four to five chapters. Do you have any guesses as to what Roxy's not so big secret is?**

 **Next Time: Becca helps Katie get ready for her big date, but she and Spencer later team up after things don't go to plan.**

 **Thanks again, don't forget to pop a review to tell me how you found it xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for all the support so far. Also, imagine Karley Scott Collins for Katie.**

 **Chapter 6**

"Eyes closed."

The big date had finally arrived, Joey due to be arriving at the house within the hour. Katie's room was a mess, clothes strewn over the floor and make up spread all over the bed. Becca was the designated Big Sister ™ for the night, making sure Katie was absolutely prepped for the date and would be looking killer for it. The eventual outfit decided was an oversized jumper, skirt and ankle boots- cute, not too fancy and age appropriate (Becca was insistent on this). The older Cheerio was also playing makeup artist and hairdresser too, excitedly practising her skills on the younger girl. A veteran of online tutorials, Sephora visits and pre-ordering the new Naked Palette, Becca had been giddy with excitement for days and couldn't wait to have her guinea pig. Katie's hair had been transformed into a side plait, making her look like a fairy.

Desert rose eye shadow decorated Katie's lids. Keeping them close as Becca instructed, she then had eyeliner put on (winged of course), then extra volume mascara.

"Ok sweetheart, we are done here," Becca clapped her hands together, grabbing a mirror and holding it in front of Katie. Katie opened her eyes, immediately gasping at the sight of her reflection.

"Holy crap I look amazing," she clasped her face, "Becs, you're seriously like a genius. If there was a Harvard of makeup you'd totally be in it. Oh the hair, I love it, I feel like a fairy princess or something. You're the best, thank you so much."

"Anything for my Kit Kat. You look beautiful sweetie, if I don't say so myself, you are going to knock Joey's socks off. Now for one last touch."

Reaching into her backpack, Becca batted away Katie's curious looks and pulled out a small box. She snapped it open to reveal a long, bronze necklace.

"I wore it on my very first date when I was thirteen, now I want you to have it."

"Oh Becca it's beautiful," Katie touched it, "I'll take real good care of it I promise, I'll have it back to you tomorrow."

"No Katie, you misunderstand me," Becca shook her head, "I want you to keep it."

"Becs I couldn't..."

"You can and you will. Most people have possessions that they hand down, jewellery, clothes and nice furniture. I have no siblings and I hope that I won't have kids for another ten years. You are basically my sister now so I want you to have this, just to wish you good luck. Your teenage years are the best years; you have parties you'll get drunk at, girls who will become your best friends and cars that you'll cruise down the highways in. This is your first date. He could be the one but he probably won't be, it'll be the first of many boys that you will meet. I always wanted a sibling but God never provided one to my parents. Maybe you can wear it on future dates or maybe you'll lose it someday. Whatever happens, it's what you wore on your first date."

"Don't you dare make me cry and ruin my makeup Rebecca Hamilton," Katie whispered, trying to bat back tears.

"Oh I won't little one, come here."

Katie shuffled over to give Becca a hug. They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

"Hey Kit Kat, oh hey Hamilton when did you get here?" Spencer asked.

"Not long ago," Becca shuffled on the bed, Spencer now getting a view of his very dolled up little sister. Eyebrows knitted together, his face plunged into a confused frown.

"What's going on here?"

Becca and Katie had a nonverbal conversation before the older Cheerio turned to her best friend, "Well Spence, Katie has a date."

Spencer paused for a moment.

"With a boy?"

"No, with an octopus," Katie shot back, "Yes, of course it's with a boy."

"Absolutely not."

"Excuse me?"

"You're too young to date."

"I'm _fourteen."_

"I don't care if you're fourteen or forty, you're still my little sister and I say you're too young to date. I assume that you knew about this."

The last comment was directed at Becca, who nodded, "Of course Spence, I was the first one Katie told. I am here to help her get ready."

"Who's the perp?"

Katie sighed.

"Katie Joanne Porter, I ask you a question," Spencer gave his sister a death glare, "Who's the perp?"

"Joey Longcross," Katie eventually admitted, looking at the ground.

"I don't like him."

"You don't even know him, he's on the lacrosse team," Becca replied sharply, "You can't dislike someone you've never met."

"He's a jock; jocks are dickheads with very few exceptions. Ryder is one exception, Joey is not."

Both girls grimaced at one another.

"You're not going out with him Kit Kat, I know what teenage boys are like- I am one, I share a locker room with them at football practice and they talk shit about girls all the time. He's not good enough for you, end of story. When he comes to the door, I'll tackle him down the drive if I have to."

"You're being unreasonable Spencer," Katie tried to reason with her older brother.

"Like hell I am," Spencer got out his phone.

"Spencer, what are you-"Becca was silenced by the hand he put up, gasping in mock affront at his rudeness. The chimes of the video call was heard, ringing for a few moments before it stopped and the other person at the end picked up.

"Hey Spencer."

"Hi, what does this look like to you?" Spencer flipped the phone over so that it was facing Katie and Becca. On the phone was an image of Jackson, the other Porter sibling. Becca had met him on numerous occasions when he was back from college for the holidays. She liked him a lot, he often mercilessly teased Spencer which was never bad, but distance and time meant that they weren't as close as she was with his younger siblings. He was a lot like Spencer, minus the arrogance, both being football players for example.

"That's Katie and Becca hanging out," Jackson replied as though his brother was mentally slow.

"Oh it's more than that!" Spencer dramatised as though it was a massive revelation in a great play, "Our dear little sister is going on a date tonight."

Jackson's mood immediately changed.

"What? No way, Katie's like ten."

"I'm fourteen Jax," Katie yelled into the phone.

"Thank you," Spencer was clearly relieved at the back up, "Thank you Jax."

"Katie, you're too young to date. No dating til you're married," Jackson wagged a finger at her, "You know there's a nunnery near the college, it's got a great programme for novitiates."

"A brilliant idea!" Spencer agreed.

"Why are you punishing Katie for how teenage boys act?"Becca asked, "I'm aware of the fact that Bobby talks about how he'd like to do it with me behind the bleachers, but it's unfair to lock Katie away from life experiences just because you're scared they'll act like a lot of you and your friends do to girls. I'm sure Joey is just a nice guy, a nice guy that you hate because he asked your pretty and popular sister out. First off, she looks super awesome so she needs to show off the look and second of all, Jax you dated girls as a freshman so you are no different."

"He's a sophomore," Spencer added.

"Too old for you then," Jackson continued.

"He's in the grade above her," Becca defended, "If he was any older I'd be objecting as well, but it's not like he's a senior like us."

"Yeah, Becca's right," Katie nodded, "Guys, this is my first date. I'm growing up, deal with it."

"No, you should be playing with a Barbie doll, not dating," Jackson replied, "You're still a kid."

Katie was about to burst when there was a knock on the door, John and Mary entering.

"What is this racket?" John asked, "Is that Jax on the phone?"

"Katie's got a date," Spencer spluttered, throwing out an arm to exhibit Katie, "With a boy. Jackson and I were just agreeing what a horrible idea it is."

"Oh I know, Katie told me when she came home from school the other day," Mary cooed, going over to sit with her daughter, putting an arm around her, "Isn't it exciting? My little baby is growing up and going out with boys now. Look, I leant her my earrings to wear so she has a bit of her mom with her. Becca's such a doll, helping her out getting ready- you've done a marvellous job sweetie. Katie, you look so pretty I might cry. The reason she didn't tell you is because she knew you'd act like big babies. I can see she's proving you right."

Jackson and Spence began protesting at that, their words falling over one another at break neck speed.

Mary and Becca looked at one another, smug.

"I can't say I'm too keen on this either," the quiet John finally spoke up.

"Of course you aren't," Mary shook her head, "All those in favour of the date."

The women put their hands up.

"And those against."

The men put their hands up.

"Shocker," Becca muttered.

"Well, I'm going on this date whether you like it or not so suck it. Joey will be here soon, so I'd like some space to breathe. Jax, I will tell you everything, I promise. Can you just leave me and Becca be so we can get on with things?" Katie asked, clearly annoyed, "I'm not a child anymore; I'm going out with Joey, in his car. Just be glad I'm not pregnant like some girls my age are."

"If you dare..." Spencer started.

"Yes, let's leave the girls to it," Mary started bodily pushing her husband and son out of the room. Both protested loudly, with Jackson also yelling from Face Time. The mother winked at her daughters before shutting the door behind them.

"Well that went well," Katie quipped.

"I can see why, so glad I don't have brothers. I know they're being silly but they care."

"You weren't there when Spencer ate a massive amount of Brussels sprouts one Christmas, held me down and farted on me when I was like ten," Katie muttered darkly as Becca laughed, "Anyway, he's nearly here. Any last minute advice?"

"Ok," Becca seized her by the shoulders, "Remember the flirting lesson I gave you last year? Stick with that. Don't talk about religion, politics or money; I doubt that you'd talk about that anyway at a first date when you're a teenager. Take a break to redo your makeup so that you continue looking fresh, laugh at his jokes even if they're bad and ensure you don't talk about yourself all the time. Be your normal, sweet self that attracted him in the first place and you'll be absolutely fine. If he tries anything with you, I want you to kick him in the balls, elbow his stomach then run off somewhere safe, call your brother to pick you up. I doubt he will though, most people aren't sex pests on first dates- or ever for that fact. We've put enough hairspray on your hair to hold it, that should be ok. If you need me text me, I'll still be here when you get back. Other than that, I think you're a-ok."

"Right, great thanks," Katie nodded, "I'm just gonna finish up."

"Alright sweetie, I'll be downstairs."

Spencer was in the hall when Becca arrived downstairs.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me."

"Of course I didn't, I wouldn't rat out a friend," Becca joined him in the living room, "She asked me not to say anything, which I think was fair enough considering how you went all Shaft in there. I'm so excited for her, she looks so pretty!"

Spencer grimaced.

"Yeah she looks nice, but are any brothers really happy about their little sisters going on dates?"

Becca rolled her eyes, "You're the worst."

"I know, but I'd do it for you butterball."

"Yeah, I'm aware."

There was a knock on the door. Spencer yelled that he'd get it before racing to the door, Becca following him to it. A nod to one another and Spencer opened it.

"Hey Spencer," the door opened a little, "Oh hi Becca. Is Katie ready?"

"She will be in a moment," Spencer stared him down, creating an awkward silence.

"So are you guys like ever apart?" Joey motioned between them.

"No," they replied simultaneously.

"Oh," Joey deflated.

"So you've already got your licence?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, I already turned 16."

"Good. Now, listen here you little shit. My sister is fourteen and a freshman, she's still young. Anything you do to her, I'll do to you if I find out anything inappropriate. As for your car, if you go over the speed limit or anything reckless, I'll make sure that you get more than a ticket. Bring back my sister in one piece and I'm sure that we'll be fine. If not, then you won't want to live. I've had a guy still on the run from when I beat him up; I can do way worse than that. It's Breadstix and then straight home for Katie's curfew; I don't want any detours or anything. You treat Kit Kat with respect and nothing else. If she doesn't want to do anything, you damn well respect that, even if it's as basic as holding hands. Got it?"

Joey gulped.

"Y...Yes," he managed.

"Good," Spencer nodded, "I'm glad you agree."

"Ignore him Joey, he's being an idiot," Becca shook her head, "As long as you're not a dick, it'll be fine. Katie's been really excited you know."

"I have too," Joey bit his lip.

Spencer was still glaring at Joey as Katie thundered down the stairs.

"Hey," she beamed at Joey.

"Hey, wow, you look great," Joey complimented.

"Thanks," Katie blushed.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," Katie nodded, turning to her brother and best friend.

"Have a great time sweetheart," Becca hugged her tightly; "I'll be here when you get back. Love you."

"Love you too Becs," Katie smiled before turning back to her brother.

"Stay safe Kit Kat," Spencer mussed up her hair before Becca pulled his arm away.

As Katie headed out of the door, Spencer and Becca stayed with it open until the car had gone off into the night, as though they were parents. Once they were definitely out of sight, the two moved further into the house and closed the door.

"You were so mean," Becca hissed, "Joey's probably terrified."

"Excellent, I hope I made him pee his pants- taught him a lesson if he ever tries anything with my Kit Kat."

Becca shook her head, "Come on loser, let's go have fun."

Becca pushing his head forward, the two headed back into the house.

-GROW APART-

 _A couple of weeks later_

Becca was humming to herself, bopping her head to the tune, and organising her books to take home. Taking nearly all AP classes in senior year gave her a mountain of homework to do each night, her weekends often spent doing work. She could hardly complain though because she breezed through it without issue and knew that it was getting her prepared for harder classes at Harvard.

"Becca?" a voice sniffled.

She whirled around to see Katie, tears streaming down her face and voice breaking.

"Kit Kat what's wrong?" she held out her arms for Katie to come into.

"Joey broke up with me."

"Oh honey pie, don't cry, he's just a boy. What happened, I thought you guys were going really well?"

"Well erm," Katie wiped her eyes, "He pulled me aside just now and said it wasn't going to work. He said he was looking for something more mature, more sexual and he wasn't going to get something out of some, and I quote 'probably frigid little freshman.' Said I wasn't even into it, like he didn't know why the hell he'd bothered with me. Told me he'd be better off with a more experienced Cheerio, someone more grown up than me. Then he mentioned about some girl in his classes, I don't know if he was cheating or just mentioning it. Didn't even say sorry or wish me well, he was so casually cruel about it like he didn't know he was being malicious. I just...I just feel so hurt. He totally crushed my heart, it totally sucked."

"He didn't try anything with you, did he?"

"No and even if he had I would have said no," Katie sniffed before bursting into another round of tears.

"My poor Kit Kat, it's ok darling I'm here," Becca rubbed Katie's back, "What a complete loser. I'm so proud of you for not trying to fit in, some girls would have just said yes to the sex in order to make him happy, but not herself. You're fourteen, you're not ready and that's ok. Katie, you're so much better without him, he's just some loser- you've seen him, he can barely play lacrosse, I don't know why he's on the team. Plus he's not even that cute, is he? There are cuter boys and boys who are much better for you. It's a learning curve but it doesn't make it any less painful, does it sweetheart? Come on darling, it's ok, just let it out. You can borrow my mascara afterwards, just let it all out."

Katie continued to sob in Becca's arms, the older blonde trying to comfort her.

"I really liked him Becs," Katie whispered softly, "He was always nice, cute and he took a real interest in me, like Dylan did before his family moved away. Now I just get it was a social thing, getting with a Cheerio who's Spencer Porter's younger sister, like it is with all the guys in this school. He kissed me real nice as well, it made me feel butterflies. My foot popped like in _The Princess Diaries_ as well, I really thought it was real. Now I feel like a fool telling everyone we dated, an utter _fool_."

She dissolved into sobs again.

"Oh darling you're not a fool. If anyone's the fool, it's him for letting such a wonderful girl go and for being such a piece of shit. Look at me cupcake, it's fine, it's ok. If you just wipe your face a little bit, no one is gonna know. Have you told your brother yet?"

"Told me what?" Spencer appeared out of nowhere.

The two Cheerios looked at one another.

"Kit Kat what's wrong?" Spencer approached his sister, "Who do I need to kill?"

"J...J...Joey dumped me."

"Why? He didn't put his grubby little hands on you, did he?"

"No, no, Spencer it's not like that. He said that he didn't know why he'd bothered with me and he wasn't going to get anywhere with some frigid little freshman. Said he wanted someone more mature, like this girl in his class or whatever but I don't know who she is."

"He said that?" Spencer asked, his voice dangerously low, "He said that to you?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to kill him," Spencer hissed, seeing red. He then turned on his heel and rushed off down the corridor.

"Spencer no!" Katie and Becca yelled simultaneously. This was to no avail as Spencer ignored them completely, running away from them. Sighing, the girls also broke out into a run in order to follow him. Luckily they knew where Spencer was going, as he was a lot faster than the both of them and was out of sight by the time they rounded the corridor.

They arrived just too late to stop Spencer from entering the boys' locker room. Exchanging looks, the girls wondered what to do.

"We can't really go in there, can we?" Becca asked.

"They do it in movies, like in _A Cinderella Story,"_ Katie remarked.

"Yeah but it's double standards isn't it? If a guy went into the girls' locker room they'd be screamed out for being a creep, we can't invade their space just because they're boys. All we can hope is that Spencer won't kill Joey."

"Becs, I doubt that he's going to do things lightly."

They were in luck, as one of the guys noticed them lingering outside the door. Popping his head out, he looked at both of them.

"Everyone's decent, don't worry."

"Thanks Brandon," Becca grabbed Katie's hand and pulled her into the locker rooms.

Spencer was just ahead, looking for Joey. When he finally saw the lacrosse player laughing and joking with his friends near the weights, he saw red and his face contorted with rage. Seeing the little bastard who had been upset his sister so much made him want to destroy the kid.

"Hey you!"

Joey whirled around, his face immediately going to stone at the sight of Spencer. Spencer torpedoed forward, grabbing Joey by the shoulders and shoving him against the wall so fast that Joey had to move his head in order to stop it being banged against the plaster.

"You made my little sister cry, didn't you?"

Joey managed to get some sounds out. The entire room was in silence, knowing that Joey was about to be obliterated by the most feared in school.

"Don't make some bullshit up, Longcross. You talked shit about Katie, made her feel worthless then dumped her because you didn't want to keep your shrivelled up dick in your pants. You could have gone with some other girl but you string my little sister along by being a little shit. What do have to say for yourself then?"

"I...I...I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."

"It's not me you should be apologising to," Spencer snapped, "Now listen here you little shit bag, remember what I said I'd do if you hurt my sister? Anything you do to her I do to you, it's really that simple. You made her cry, so that is what I intend to do. The only reason I'm not beating the shit out of you is because there are over two dozen witnesses and they'll pull me away before I pummelled all the pretty out of you. Now, here's how it's gonna be. You are gonna stay away from my little sister at all times. So much as breathe near her and I will know. Believe me, if that happens, I will have you permanently separated from her. Listen here, your life is going to be a living hell from now on. Everywhere you walk, everything you say, I will be watching. When I graduate in summer, that won't even be a relief for you. You are not going to know a moment's peace. Watch every moment, I wouldn't be surprised if every morning you were greeted by a slushie. I won't let you breathe, even for a second. After I've gone, I'll have people watching you. If I find out you cheated on Katie, then I am going to kick your ass so hard you'll never be able to sit down. If anything else comes out, then I will make you wish that your parents never met. Kit Kat is worth a million of you, yet you've hurt her. There are several people in my life you don't mess with: my friends, especially Hamilton, my boyfriend and my family- especially my little sister. You've done that, so prepared to be shitting yourself upon the sight of me every day. No teacher is gonna protect you, I have ways of getting around this. Nobody hurts my little sister and gets away with it- you're no exception Longcross. Oh and by the way, you're shit at lacrosse. Got it you bastard?"

Joey gulped, nodding against Spencer's arm.

"I can't hear you," Spencer snarled.

"Y...Yes."

"Now, I think you have an apology to make."

Joey looked at Katie, who was still standing beside Becca.

"I'm sorry for being a dick Katie."

The blonde cheerleader nodded coldly, "Ok."

"Then I think we're done here," Spencer turned back to Joey with false cheeriness.

"Wait a second, not quite yet," Becca stepped forward, moving next to Spencer, eyes cold and laser focused on Joey.

Spencer smirked, stepping back to give Becca the floor.

"Listen here numb nuts and listen well. Interrupt me and I'll cut you like a bitch. Right, so you hurt Katie, one of my best friends, fellow Cheerios and like a little sister to me. So I'm gonna make this crystal clear sweetheart. I don't like guys treating girls like shit. This is the USA, this shouldn't be happening. It shouldn't be happening ANYWHERE. Katie shouldn't be shamed for being a freshman not ready for sex. I've had it up to be here for my girlfriends being shamed for not putting out, for having lots of sex and for being treated as expendable by guys. Kit Kat is fourteen years old, she's not like me or my friends. You've been a piece of shit, an absolute piece of shit. Now, I believe in solidarity with my sisters and I'm not gonna let a girl be torn down. I like to think that I'm not a bitch but if there's one thing I can't stand it's the people I care about most being hurt. Spencer can hurt you but I can ruin your reputation with a snap of my fingers. Everyone is going to know what a slimy dirt bag you are, starting with everyone in this room and ending with everyone in this school. This will go to Ben Israel as soon as possible, mark my words. Nobody in this school will invite you to parties. No girl will go out of you, because I can spread some serious shit about you. If I wanted to, you could apparently have the clap. I'll be ensuring every girl at this school will avoid you like the black plague, you won't get a date until college. Every day you will wonder what is going to happen to you and anything that does will be a thousand times worse than what Spencer can do to you. You may have lacrosse, but you will not have anything else in future because I will not let Katie Porter be hurt by some loser who can't even throw a ball. The female community at McKinley High is very tight and by the end of the evening, they will all know everything about you. Solidarity like nothing else. Like Spencer said, you'll be staying away from Katie. If you go near her, I'll find out and I will ensure that you will never be able to go near her again. Life is going to be very, very difficult from you now on. I can do things that you can't even imagine and I will be doing them. Understand me?"

Joey nodded nervously.

"That goes for everyone in this room," Becca called out, addressing all of them, "If I find out any of you boys have hurt Katie, any of my friends and Cheerios then I will ensure that you will be ripped down faster than you can blink. I am the most powerful person at this school next to Bree and believe me when I say I will use that power to strike down anyone who crosses me. Any slut or frigid shaming will not be tolerated by me or any girl at this school. Stay away from the freshman if you're older than a sophomore, I don't want eighteen year old seniors going after girls like Katie. Any social reputation you have will be flushed down the toilet. I am not afraid of some jocks who think they're hot shit because they can score a touchdown, I'm frankly quite the opposite. I have a lot of friends in here and I am also going to protect you from any girls who treat you like shit, but I'm also not going to look the other way when vile, misogynistic behaviour goes along. It's been unchecked for far too long and I for one am sick of it. Is that understood everyone?"

A few people mumbled.

"I asked if that was understood!" she yelled again.

Several shouts of the affirmative were heard, those in Becca's eye line nodding rapidly.

"Good," she did a delighted shrug, "Come on Kit Kat, let's go have fun and leave the boys to it."

Taking Katie's hand, she began to leave the room when she saw Ryder staring at her in total shock and admiration. Stopping, she let go of Katie's hands and went over to her boyfriend, leaning up as close as she could.

"If you like that fire, there's plenty more of that where came from," she was about to go away but then stopped to continue, "And you don't have to hold your towel so tight, it's nothing I've not seen before."

She winked; everyone in the immediate vicinity immediately laughing and whistling as Ryder went ruby red, pulling his towel tighter to hide the...excitement that he felt. That was one of the hottest things he'd ever seen and he was more than glad that it was his girlfriend standing up for people.

Becca and Katie then rushed out of the room, Becca hearing "damn your girlfriend is hot," from one of the guys directed at Ryder. Looking at one another, they burst out laughing.

"Hot damn that was brilliant," Katie practically shrieked, "I mean, Spencer scaring the snot out of him was hilarious but you, I'm pretty sure he peed his pants, it was like legendary. That was just like the coolest threat ever, you didn't get angry or violent, you just went straight for the jugular and I love you for it."

"Well nobody messes with my Kit Kat," Becca put an arm around her, "Boys come and go, but friendships are forever. Let's just say Spencer and I are going to make good on our threats, you'll never have to worry about getting any grief even after we've gone. Bros before hoes, am I right?"

"You are," Katie laughed.

"You feel better kid?"

"I still feel a bit crap but what can you do?" Katie shrugged, "Still, you made me feel way better. I don't need Joey; he's just some stupid guy. You're totally right, I'm way better than him. Did you see his defence in the last game? Totally terrible."

"Preach it sister," Becca chuckled, "Come on now, let's get back to yours and have a girly night."

"Let's do it."

Pinkies linked and arms swinging, they headed down the corridor in merry spirits. Katie was glad to have Becca in her life and Becca was glad to have Katie in hers.

Unfortunately, the joy Becca felt was about to be short lived.

 **Thanks guys, hope you enjoyed Chapter 6!**

 **Next Time: Becca's jealousy of Ryder and Roxy's relationship reaches a head when she sees something she dislikes, leading to a blazing row which may put an end to their happiness.**

 **Thanks again and please don't forget to review x**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for the support, it's amazing. Tell me what storylines you'd like to see! X**

 **Chapter 7**

Striding down the corridor in her queen bee mode, Becca smirked at the people jumping out of the path as though they were an inconvenience- just the way it should be. Her little verbal threats had spread around the school like wildfire, making people extra scared of the pint sized cheerleader. People tended to be scared of crossing her because Spencer was her little pit bull and Bree a bit of a firecracker, but not of the pretty cheerleader herself. They were now however, because they knew how she was ready to bring down anyone if it came down to it. Becca was thrilled by it, she loved strolling down those corridors, envied, feared and loved by people who wished that they could be her. Katie still was upset by Joey, but had been cheered up massively by her brother and close friend, both of whom immediately had her back. The takedown was pretty amazing, if she didn't say so herself.

Right now, she just wanted the person who she knew wanted her just for herself.

"Hey babe, there's 50% off rock climbing this Friday, fancy it?"

"Sorry babe, no can do," Ryder shut his locker, "I'm busy this Friday; can you do Saturday?"

"No, I have plans with the girls. How about next weekend?"

"Sounds great," Ryder smiled.

"What are you doing Friday anyway, anything good?" Becca asked, leaning against the next locker with her arms folded.

"There's an AC/DC tribute band the next town over, I'm going with Roxy."

That was like a dagger to Becca's heart. He'd spent so much time with Roxy; it was as though nobody else existed but her. Becca had gone to watch the US Concert at Ryder's, but had spent the entire time on her phone as the other two sang and danced around, exchanging facts and getting excited over the performers. She'd eventually gone upstairs, staying to talk to Mrs. Lynn, later returning to see that Ryder and Roxy had barely noticed that she'd gone. It was Roxy this, Roxy that, he never shut up about her music taste, her singing or anything else about her. Becca wouldn't mind if it was Marley or Kitty or if it just happened a few times, but it seemed to be Roxy all the time. She'd see them in the halls, in Glee practice, at lunch, always sat next to one another and engaged in conversation like nobody else was there. Before, Becca had been worried about Marley, but she knew that was dead in the water. Roxy was a much bigger threat- more exuberant, prettier and more popular, with way more in common than Glee club. She had no history with other boys, no connection to Jake; it was perfectly set for her. Becca saw herself as pretty, but she was jealous of just how gorgeous Roxy was. If Roxy was a cheerleader or more popular, she would be drooled over just as much as she and Bree were.

She wanted to say something, she really did, but she didn't want to be that girl. She didn't want to be jealous or be the girlfriend who flipped out when her boyfriend was friends with another woman. Her friends would do that, especially Bree, but she really didn't want to push Ryder further away by going crazy over nothing. It wasn't like he'd cheated.

"Sounds great babe," she pulled a fake smile on as the bell rang.

"See you later Becs," Ryder kissed her head.

"Bye babe, love you..." she was cut off however, as Ryder hadn't heard her, running off as he saw Roxy ahead of them in the corridor. Becca stood for a second, watching them disappear together, both laughing outrageously. With a heavy sigh, she turned around to head to class. Shaking her head, she told herself that she was being silly.

-GROW APART-

The weekend went by. Becca had stayed in Friday night to catch up with her mountain of homework (AP woo), before doing the pamper day with Bree, Aimee, Jordan, Elle and the other girls on Saturday, followed by a girlie movie night and sleepover at Jenni's house. Sunday night had arrived, the day having been quiet for Becca. It turned out the family had run out of milk and bread, so Becca had offered to drive to the grocery store to grab some.

There was nothing out of the ordinary as Becca headed into the parking lot, carrier bag in hand. That was until she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Exiting the video game shop was Ryder and Roxy, too involved in talking to one another to notice that Becca was standing right near them. The blonde was surprised to see them hanging out on a Sunday evening, nearly everyone she knew spent Sunday evenings at home usually (likely resting from hangovers). She was also surprised to see them hanging out _again,_ as they'd been out on Friday and gone for a coffee on Saturday, something Becca had seen on Roxy's Instagram.

Heart pounding, she looked wildly around for an escape. Eventually deciding she needed to spy, she dived into a bush. Pulling branches and leaves off of her person, she watched sneakily between them so that she was invisible to anyone else.

They walked along together, laughing outrageously at something. Becca frowned at the sight, whatever someone had said seemed to be really, really funny. The way Becca saw them meant that they were standing on the side, meaning that she could not even attempt to guess what they were saying by reading their lips- not that she could really see from that far anyway. Fingers curled around the branches, she pushed herself forward whilst not fully in the shrubbery.

It was then things started to go downhill. Ryder and Roxy stopped on the curb, a series expression on both of their faces. An expression of upset on her features, Roxy looked down to the side, piquing Becca's interest as she straightened up to see further. Ryder took Roxy's cheek and pushed it gently so that she was looking at him. Becca didn't know exactly what her boyfriend was saying, but it was classic Ryder being gentle and comforting- he'd done it for her so many times, that kind look. Whatever it was, Becca felt a pang of jealousy at the point of contact between the spied upon pair. He eventually dropped the hand, but it still left a pissed off blonde in its wake. Their conversation remained serious, Ryder's hand then going on Roxy's shoulder as she nodded along to what he said. It was taking everything in Becca's willpower not to betray her hiding place and run over angrily, the blonde not so calmly remaining in her spot out of sight.

Then came the thing that really, _really_ pissed her off.

Becca knew hugs well, she was a huggable person. She knew when it was a friendly hug (swaying from side to side), a family hug (tight squeeze, one side wanted to last longer than the other) or a familiar hug, aka one that raised suspicions. Well, this was one of those things. Roxy was cuddling tightly into Ryder's chest, gripping him as though she was clinging on for dear life, almost inhaling his scent as Becca did when she hugged her boyfriend. Ryder's stance was protective, an expression of concern all over him. He was hunched close, though not as close with Roxy as Becca due to the brunette being a lot taller. Both did not say a word, just focused on whatever was between them.

Becca was frozen, her mouth dry as it hung open. Her hands shaking like a leaf, she pulled her phone from her pocket. Noticing the lock screen (her and Ryder); she dryly noted to herself that it would have to be changed. Camera app open, she snapped pictures until they had finished. Both laughed gently, Ryder saying something else soothing before they moved along, Becca taking a few more pictures for good measure. She waited until they had rounded the corner and then some, just to make sure, hoping that she wouldn't be caught. Counting down from one hundred, she then managed to stumble out of the bush, picking leaves off her.

When she'd stumbled upwards, she noticed an African-American woman looking at her confusedly.

"My boyfriend with another girl," Becca mumbled in explanation, brushing herself.

"Mmhm, that's how my first marriage ended. The tall boy with the rock chick girl? They're gone, got into a car. You're safe kid."

"Thank you, God bless you ma'am," Becca thanked before zooming off to her own car.

Bags down against the backseats, she threw herself against the headrest, still in too much of a daze to register what she'd just seen. Technically she hadn't seen anything super sinister, like kissing or anything romantic, but the cheek touch and the hug had made her hugely suspicious. She was too numb to cry or scream right now, trying to rationalise what she'd just seen. All she wanted to do was calm herself, tell herself that she was being creepy like Joshua Ben-Israel when he did hiding away to get good photos. It wasn't like she'd stalked them, it had been an (un)happy coincidence that she had seen them hanging about. Ok, maybe hiding in the shrubbery wasn't a great move but Becca wasn't about to let them go off scot-free. She had to know the truth, as crazy as it sounded. Yeah, she'd been fairly rational before, not yelling at him to stop hanging out with her or asking prying questions. This had proven her suspicions somewhat.

Deciding she needed to get a move on, Becca began the drive home in a cold silence, senses heightened because she was driving and didn't particularly feel like crashing. Slipping into her drive, she took a deep breath in order to control her emotions. She didn't want her parents knowing what she'd just seen, not feeling like a session of comforting hugs and her parents slightly scolding her for being a stalker and jumping to conclusions.

Mona looked up from the work on the kitchen table when Becca arrived in.

"Hi honey, you were some time."

"Yeah, huge queue at the store- I think everyone forgets things on Sunday nights. Old lady in front of me having trouble getting the right change, quarters and cents galore," Becca forcibly laughed.

She then went to put the stuff in the fridge and cupboards.

"Why do you have leaves in your hair?" Mona questioned, "You haven't been fumbling in the bushes with some boy have you?"

"Don't be silly mom, there were still a few falling leaves falling from the branches," Becca pulled them out of her hair and threw them in the trash, "Besides, I have Ryder, no fumbling with other boys."

"Just kidding sweetheart," Mona laughed, "Thanks for picking the stuff up."

"No problem, I'm gonna go have a shower than chat with some friends."

Kissing her mother on the cheek, she ran upstairs. In the shower, she let the warm water run over her body, droplets rushing down her skin, she focused on the scrub massaged against her skin. She really didn't want to react, but her heart was telling her that something wasn't right with what she'd seen. When she was out of the shower, she would message her girls to ask for what they thought. Though she knew that Bree would say anything to get Becca to leave Ryder, she could trust Jordan and Aimee to give a balanced, fair opinion. She would go to Spencer for things concerning Ryder, but she knew that this was a girl thing. Spencer didn't know anything about relationships, only just understanding his own. Her Cheerios would understand the girl psyche; know what Roxy was trying to do. Spencer would just tell her she was being stupid then try to maintain peace.

Taking her sweet time in the shower in order to calm her fractured nerves, she headed into her room. Very kindly, her mother had put a hot cocoa by her bed. Climbing under the mountains of covers and nestled beside the numerous cushions (Becca was a creature of comfort), she took her phone out and began to compose a message.

 _Guys, I need your help. It's about Ryder- I saw something xxx_

Taking a deep breath, she pressed send. Not even having time to close her eyes, the first message buzzed in. It was time for some discussion.

-GROW APART-

Going into school the next morning, Becca was still pondering. The quiet shock from last night had turned into deep, resolute anger. Her friends had backed her up, firm in the idea that something untoward was brewing between Ryder and Roxy. Everything had been pulled up on the chat- the photos Becca took, screenshots of social media and of Becca's conversations with Ryder- in order to determine what was going on. The eventual conclusion was that he wasn't cheating but Becca was right to be suspicious, considering how close it all seemed. Each of them knew how girls' minds worked, how they were around boys. Roxy was attractive and new in town, it was no surprise that she was attracting people left right and centre in a way Becca had when she'd arrived in Lima.

Head held high, eyes cold; she strode down the corridors with a sunken feeling in her heart. Roxy was everything Becca wasn't- unconventional. A girl who lived for rock n roll, not out of place in Rock of Ages, rode a motorcycle and sung with the biggest losers in school without a care in the world. It wasn't out of place for Ryder to like an unconventional girl. Marley was the poor, shy lunch lady's daughter and he's really liked her. Unique was a trans girl in middle Ohio.

Becca, on the flipside, was Miss. Conventionality- blonde, a cheerleader who liked spice lattes and sung along to Taylor Swift. She and Ryder had done well together, having a good time, but that niggling feeling in her always wondered if she was good enough for him. Roxy seemed to be more his speed, something that Ryder also seemed to feel. It hurt her more than him outright telling her he preferred Roxy did. She felt slowly sidelined, their time together being reduced to snatched conversations in the corridors between lessons. He never texted her anymore, no late night phone calls ended by one of their parents telling them to go to bed. It was Roxy this, Roxy that. Roxy Taylor was a big fat pain in her ass. She was just tired of it all.

Walking over to her locker, she began filling it with the reading material and homework she'd taken over the weekend. She seemed to have a million books from all her classes, thank God for lockers otherwise she'd have a bad back from carrying them all.

Unfortunately, another ache had arrived.

"Hey gorgeous, how was your weekend?" Ryder came up smiling, having no idea about his angry girlfriend.

An icy silence fell over them, Becca completely ignoring him. Without a word towards him or acknowledgment that he was next to her, she continued going through her locker.

"Becs, you ok?"

She continued to ignore his presence. He touched her shoulder but as soon as it made contact, Becca shrugged it off and finally acknowledged his presence with a look so angry that it could melt steel. A second later and she was back at paying attention to her locker.

"Hey hey hey, what's with the silent treatment?" he asked, now frowning.

"Why don't you ask your girlfriend?" Becca eventually spat.

A baffled Ryder stared at her, confused, "I was under the impression that _you_ are my girlfriend. Whatever's wrong, I'm sure we can talk about it. Come on, tell me what's up."

Finally at breaking point, Becca rounded on him, slamming her locker so loudly that it caused several students in the immediate vicinity to jump at the sound.

"I saw you and Roxy together last night."

"So?" Ryder shrugged, "We were just hanging out at the game store. I didn't see you; I'm guessing you were at the grocery store or something?"

"Well, I saw you and guess what? I didn't like what I saw," taking her phone, she found the images and shoved them in Ryder's face. He thumbed through the images of him and Roxy, looking progressively more shocked at each image.

"Were you spying on us?" he asked as he handed her phone back.

"Spying is one word, I'd prefer observing," she shrugged, "When I saw you guys, I hid to see what you were doing and look what I found. My boyfriend getting cosy with Joan Freakin' Jett."

"Cosy? Becca, we were hanging out. She was telling me stuff and I was being a good friend. Becs, you know that you're the only girl for me," Ryder decided the diplomatic approach would best cool down his fiery girlfriend at the moment, "We were close because I hugged her, nothing more. You didn't see anything wrong, I promise and you never will. We're just friends, don't worry Becs."

Becca bristled, moving backwards in shock, "Oh I know that phrase 'just friends.' Just friends means two things- people who are crushing or dating but are denying it or people who are all close and trying to justify the lies that they are telling. It's that classic male line."

"Do you think I'm cheating?" Ryder asked, incredulous.

"I don't know what to think," Becca snapped, "Apart from the fact you were all up with Roxy this weekend. Friday you went to some cover crap and then you had coffee on Saturday and were hanging out on Sunday."

"So if that was me with Jake or Marley you wouldn't be bothered? I hang out with them all the time, Roxy's my friend."

"My problem is that you are with Roxy Music all the time," Becca went forward in a menacing manner, eyes and voice as cold as ice, "I have barely seen you over the past few weeks because you're too busy listening to AC/DC and watching Star Wars with her. All I hear about is just how cool Roxy is, how much she loves the same stuff as you and just how damn talented she s when you go up and sing show tunes or whatever. You know the last thing you text me? About how ROXY sung this great rendition of whatever rock song you both have a hard on for. That was days ago, I haven't received anything from you like usual, no asking how I am or sending me a meme that I actually find funny. I'm your girlfriend, but you like her because she's like Joan Jett and she rides a motorcycle. So what? So many people do that, but not many of them look like Roxy do they? Whenever we talk, it's all about her and what you're doing. I am so tired of her, tired of this stupid obsession you have with her. I see you all the time in the halls, laughing together at lunch. What is wrong with me wanting to be with my boyfriend for five minutes? I feel like I have to scream for your attention, whereas Roxy just breathes and you lavish praise on her. Whatever is going on is making me SICK."

She practically shouted the last part at him.

"Roxy is my friend Becca," Ryder replied, still trying to cool her down, "You're with Spencer all the time."

"Spencer is my best friend and we're not romantically compatible for a start," replied Becca angrily, "I know how to prioritise my time. I always try to see you, Spencer, Katie, Bree and everyone else enough so I'm not choosing friends over my boyfriend or my boyfriend over my friends. Roxy's all tall and gorgeous and exotic, like that new girl song from Hairspray. You have not stopped, it's like she is with you ALL THE TIME. I'm not stupid; I know what these things are like."

"What are they like?"

"We're dating, but was I ever your type? Blonde cheerleader, stereotypical popular girl, best friends with a girl who has been nothing but a menace to you. First off you fell for Marley, all sweet and unconventional with the fat mom and the Les Mis face. You couldn't have her because she chose someone else. Then there was the thing with Unique, who played herself as the sweet 'I'm not your typical girl' with French fries and advice. Now there's Roxy, that unconventional rock chick who is as sweet as Marley and as confident as Unique. You want what you can't have Ryder, that's the thing. Marley never wanted you because she had Jake and wasn't over him. Unique was a fantasy behind a screen, you would never be together. Now you are all chummy with Roxy, but you have me. Hell, you thought we could never be with me because we are part of two different social groups but now you have me, it's like you don't care. You pursued Marley for so long because you cared for her, now you're like this with Roxy. I don't fit in anyway, I feel like the cheerleader in the movie who loses her popular jock boyfriend to the nerd in the art room. I can't compete with that."

She exhaled, now nearly in tears.

Ryder stood in shock.

"Becca...Becca I love you. Roxy is my friend, I promise, it's not a case of me liking her."

"This is bullshit and you know it. I see how tight you are, this isn't closeness this is you wanting her. Do you know what it's like to pick up the phone and have to scroll far down to find a text from my boyfriend? I see constant pictures of you on social media with her and I feel sick. All I want on a Friday night is to go bowling with my boyfriend or to go cuddle in his arms after having sex. When you rush off in the hall to see her, you never kiss me or tell me you love me, it's like I'm an afterthought. I don't want to be feeling like I'm inferior to her. I don't mind you having friends; if I was jealous then I'd be blowing up about you being within breathing distance of Marley."

"Then talk to me instead of blowing up at me before homeroom."

"I can't talk to you, that's the thing. Everytime I try to arrange a date, you're either busy or you just ignore me."

"Becca, I'm just trying to be a friend to Roxy. She moves around all the time, nowhere permanent so she needs a foundation, not to feel like an outsider all the time."

Becca snorted.

"I'm not stupid Ryder," she shook her head; "This isn't you being a good person. How can I compete with her? She's gorgeous, way prettier than Marley. She's super nice, feisty, confident and she rides a motorcycle. I have never been that perfect person for you, have I? I know you judge me when I stand behind Bree whenever she makes a joke about the New Directions. We do all the usual dates, but you have that kinship with Roxy. It's like you two are perfectly aligned, made to play video games and rock concerts forever. For months I have ignored what people have said about us lasting, not being together. I always thought we beat the odds of people saying we aren't right, because I'm in love with you. Instead, I see through Instagram, in the lunch halls and in the auditorium how perfect she is for you. I can compete with her in grades and in popularity, but not in the way you feel about her. I cannot stand to look at you together because it feels like my heart is torn in two. God tested me, I thought, taught me kindness but I feel like I can't live up to what He is asking me. You are making me so angry, you have no idea. You're treating me like crap Ryder!"

Again, Ryder was flummoxed.

"That's unfair," he protested, "That is a shitty thing to say."

"It's not, because it's true. She's the pedigree show dog with the shiny coat and I'm the skinny stray mutt who had to beg for scraps of attention. I can live with not seeing you every day and you not answering my messages within a second because I'm a girl who knows that you have a life outside of me. What I cannot live with is you becoming so close to a girl like Roxy who I know that is 100% your type, or any boy's type. The fact that I have to take photos of you whilst hiding in shrubbery- I was malting leaves _all night_ by the way- shows that I am not ok with what's going on. I never thought I'd be that girl who did that, who hid and spied, because I always respected boundaries. Here I am though, watching the boy I love slip through my fingers, away from me every day. Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"Hey, look at me," Ryder went forward to bring Becca closer, but she scooted away from him, "Becca, I'm sorry if I made you feel this way but all of that is just not right. You hid in a bush, took pictures of me but refused to talk to me to tell me that you're upset. Had you come to me a week ago, saying I wasn't spending enough time with you I would have immediately rectified it and apologised, I would have made sure to spend time with you. You don't have to say that I'm treating you like crap because you know how much I adore you. Talk to me when you're upset. I am so sorry I've been ignoring you, that's on me but..."

"Don't but me Ryder, this isn't my fault," Becca hissed, "This is not my fault; I shouldn't have to expect to tell you not to ignore me."

"Couples communicate issues all the time."

"Yeah, but not like this. This is a given. I'm not expected to take care of you; you are supposed to take time to remember I exist!"

"I think you're being ridiculous."

Becca's eyes narrowed, "Ridiculous? Have you listened to a word I just said? Perhaps I need to sing it to you, which might get it into your damn head. You want me to do that?"

"Look, I said I'm sorry for not spending enough time with you but you don't have to ram it down my throat. It's been an honest mistake, Becs, I didn't know and I'm sorry. You still don't need to get this angry about it and start going for my friends. Roxy is my friend, you're my girlfriend and that's that. I like hanging out with both of you. Roxy bounces from school to school; maybe you could put yourself in her shoes and think how nice it is for people to look out for her. She's got Chloe and KJ as her friends, but it's nice for both of us to have a good friend who shares similar interests. I don't treat you like crap either, you don't need to say stuff like that, it's not true. I get that you're pissed at me, but can you at least try to cool down?"

"Don't you dare pin this on me Ryder," she jabbed a finger into his chest, "I have every right to be pissed at you judging from what I saw last night."

Unfortunately for her, the second ache bounced over excitedly. Judging by Roxy's cheerful disposition, she hadn't realised that there was an argument between the couple.

"Hi guys!" she cheerfully greeted.

"Oh great it's Man Hands Joan Jett."

Roxy's smile faltered, looking like a wounded puppy at Becca's insult, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Becca hissed, a callous look on her face.

"Becca, don't start on Roxy..."

"I wasn't talking to you," she told Ryder before turning to Roxy, "I know you think that you're hot shit because you ride a motorcycle and wear a leather jacket, but you're not. You're casting yourself as this sweet, innocent little lamb who just loves rock music and singing with a bunch of misfits on an auditorium stage. I know exactly what you are, you're a man hands who is swooping in on my boyfriend."

Roxy's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish."

"I don't know what you're talking about Becca; Ryder's just been a really great friend to me over the few months. If I've said or done anything to offend I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise," Ryder assured, "You've done nothing wrong, Becca's just a bit emotional."

That was definitely the wrong to say, Becca having gone red with steam practically pouring from her ears. He was lucky that Becca didn't believe in physical fighting, especially regarding her boyfriend (love thy neighbour and all that). The tiny blonde had gone from fairly angry to one step away from kicking over the nearest trash can. She hated when guys said stuff like that, as though she was controlled by hormones and periods. He probably didn't mean that, she knew that deep down, but the anger was clouding her judgement.

"Emotional?" she snapped, "EMOTIONAL? Ok truth time. Ryder, you're acting like a puppy towards Roxy. Roxy, you know exactly what you're doing being all cute with my boyfriend. I wondered why your parents would name you after a song about a prostitute, but the whole going over guys isn't so far off, is it? I am sick and tired of watching you together, I seriously want to vomit more than Lindsay Dawson did when she got knocked up. Whatever is going on between you, I don't like it. Ryder, if you had been less of an asshole today and actually understood where I was coming from, I may not have got as angry as I am now. Why didn't you listen to me instead of acting like I'm an irrational child having a tantrum? Roxy, I saw you and Ryder together last night and I know how cuddly you were. You can lie all you want, but I guess I'm not privy to whatever you're talking about because I'm a cheerleader and not in your little Glee club. Was I ever good enough for you Ryder? Actually, don't answer that because hearing you actually say it hurts more than thinking about it. Believe me when I say it's not easy seeing my boyfriend get all excited over some man hands after my man. Roxy, I can't compete with you- you are ridiculously gorgeous and very talented. So well done, pat yourself on the back because you've achieved what you aimed for. I won't have all your friends crying on my shoulder when your army brat ass gets pulled out to the next place."

She took a deep breath.

"Roxy...just stay away from me alright, I don't want you near me. Ryder? I just feel sick looking at you."

Tears in her eyes, the blonde stormed off to find her friends before homeroom. Ryder and Roxy stood in shock at the retreating figure. The football player had gone from angry to upset to worried. Becca had said some things that he hadn't liked, but he couldn't deny the hurt or jealousy in her eyes. Was it insecurity? Well, it hadn't been nice when she'd basically implied that Roxy was a prostitute, she was clearly lashing out.

He had no idea what to feel, he guessed anger, upset and worry were all mixed into it somewhere.

"Ryder, are you ok?" Roxy asked softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine," he felt a lump in his throat, "I guess that was the biggest fight we've had."

"Looks like it."

The bell rang, the pair dividing to go to their respective homerooms. As he did, Ryder wondered what the hell he was going to do. Becca hated him, she knew it.

Becca headed to her room, anger still spitting from her. Ryder didn't want her anymore, she knew it.

The question is, were either of them really right?

 **Hello guys hoped that you enjoyed Chapter 7! I hoped to have Ryder and Becca have a big argument as to not make their relationship too perfect and easy. I also wanted to give them flaws; I wanted to ensure that Becca is not a Mary Sue.**

 **Next Time: The argument has turned into a cold war of silence. Will an unexpected action and strange method force the two back together?**

 **Thanks again and hope to see you on the other side xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the support so far, it's lush xxx**

 **Chapter 8**

The battle had turned into a cold war.

Today was now Friday, and the pair hadn't spoken to each other since the blazing row on Monday morning. It had been incredibly awkward to say the least, with the two taking pains to avoid each other, including Ryder nearly knocking over a tiny freshman and Becca using two of the tallest basketball players as covers. Neither knew what to do next, especially since Becca was clearly pissed at Ryder. The football player had tried to avoid her seeing him with Roxy, but it was hard when they were with the Glee club at lunch or rehearsing in the choir room. Several times, the others had stared at the green dot on the messenger app or opened up texts, but had chickened out at the last second. Seeing each other in the corridors was especially awkward, the two either trying to avoid eye contact or exchanging sad looks at one another. Several times, Ryder had to stop himself from going over to Becca when she was at her locker, as was routine.

Ryder missed putting his arms around Becca and the passionate kisses he got from her when he was feeling sad. Meanwhile, Becca missed the sweet forehead kisses and the excitement running through her veins before they had sex. All in all, both of them missed each other.

Their friends had varying advice for them. In Becca's corner, her girlfriends were convincing him to ditch him and go hook up with someone else (well, that was more Bree but whatever). Katie advocated talking to him, as did Spencer- both said that he clearly loved her and whilst he had messed up, he at least deserved a conversation. They also thought she had been too harsh on Roxy, whilst Bree thought she hadn't been mean enough. Meanwhile, Ryder's friends had varying solutions too. Roxy felt simply awful for getting inbetween the couple; even though Ryder assured her countless times that she had done nothing wrong. Kitty, like Bree, thought that the two should end it. Marley agreed with Becca that Ryder had been spending a lot of time with Roxy and at least deserved a proper apology- her time with Jake had jaded her. Unique and Jake recommended the two have a cooling off period, which made Ryder feel even worse.

Unfortunately, there was one time where they had to be near one another- Friday night football. Becca was leading the cheerleaders next to the bleachers, pom poms in the air, screaming for the team much like the people in the stands did. Ryder was tearing up the field, not having scored a touchdown but having helped. Of course Spencer was the star of the show as usual, dominating the field to the point that no one had come within tackling distance of him. The football scouts had started coming to games, from Ohio State to as far away as Hawaii. Every one of them wanted Spencer, with the teen having been offered a full ride from every conceivable place. He was still deciding his options.

The clock ticking on, their opponents were nearly at level pegging. Ryder had the ball and was tearing down the field, Becca watching him with a little bit of hurt in her eyes.

That changed when one of the Jefferson Wildcats charged at Ryder, using his head and knocking it straight into Ryder's helmet. Ryder dropped the ball and collapsed to the floor, not moving. The ref blew the whistle and went over to the injured player.

Becca froze, time standing still. Snapping out of it, she threw her pom poms down and raced onto the pitch. Bree tried to grab her arm but Becca had already outrun her by a significant margin. The blonde rushed into the circle, almost falling through the football players who moved out of the way to let her into the middle. Ryder was laid out on the ground at a funny angle, his chest moving up and down, but otherwise out cold. All of the players were in a circle around him, as well as both coaches.

"Oh my god is he breathing?" she cried, hands over her mouth.

"He is," Coach Beiste nodded, "But he's out, looks like he got concussion. If he's out for much longer, we're gonna need to call an ambulance- mild concussion doesn't usually knock people out. It was an illegal tackle."

At that point, Becca had clapped eyes on the unfortunate bastard who had done it. Eyes blazing, she set him up.

"What the hell do you think you were doing? Helmet to helmet contact? You should have known that it would cause an injury. Perhaps wearing a helmet like that too tight has made you brain dead, or were you just born stupid? Listen here, Number 8, I am going to make you regret giving my boyfriend a concussion. You may go to a different school in a different town, but I swear to my main man Jesus that I will work out a way to make your life a living hell. He could have a haemorrhage or something, you absolute idiot. Are you seriously mentally slow? That's not a rhetorical question so stop gawping at me like that, I can sue the absolute hell out of you and your stupid football team for that matter, and you're not even that good. I can-"

"Hey, hey, calm down," Spencer intervened to stop his best friend from launching at the guy, "It's gonna be ok, concussion is an ass but he wasn't knocked that hard, just hard enough to knock him out."

"It wasn't intentional, I promise," Number 8 whimpered, "I swear it was an accident."

"Get it together Bennett, you've just given the lad a concussion, there's no need to be soft," the other coach clapped him on the back, "No hard feelings, right?"

"I'm sure your wife's boyfriend gave her concussion in the bedroom when you couldn't satisfy her," Becca snapped, "Perhaps the people who hire coaches at Jefferson should actually hire people properly, not people who don't know jack shit. I'm sure that can be solved."

An 'oooh' came from all the assembled players at the burn that Becca just delivered.

"Did you hear what she just said to me?" the coach asked Beiste angrily, "Are you gonna just let her talk to me like that?"

"No, I can't say that I heard anything," Beiste shrugged lightly.

The coach looked horrified, but Becca was too scared to be smug.

"Is he gonna be ok?" she asked worriedly, her big blue eyes looking up at Spencer.

"I'm sure he will be," Spencer patted her arms, "Look, he's waking up now."

Nodding down, they noticed Ryder start to gain consciousness with a flicker of his eyes. Groaning slightly, he rolled his head around before squinting slightly at the assembled people. Looking around, he seemed fairly confused.

"What in the hell?"

"Ryder," Beiste lowered herself down to his level, "You got knocked out, illegal tackle. How are you feeling?"

"My head kills coach, my brain feels real fuzzy and you guys all looked real blurry before, but you all look normal now. How long was I out?"

"Five minutes, long enough for me to be worried. I hate to do this, but I need to call an ambulance and get you to hospital. It's usually nothing but when you have those symptoms, you need to see a doctor. I've seen enough concussions in my life to know that- don't worry kid, most get headaches for a couple days after and we're as right as rain. I'll call the backup to play; we can take resume play after this. Are you ok to walk? We can assist you to the bench."

"I'm going with him to the hospital," Becca immediately volunteered.

"Of course," Beiste nodded, "I'll call, can two of you help him up?"

Bobby and Spencer took Ryder's arm around their shoulders and helped him walk to the bench. Becca followed, but not before turning around and doing an 'I'm watching you,' sign to Bennett and the opposing coach. Skipping along behind them, she thanked the guys. Grabbing her things, she went to sit beside Ryder as he sipped on his water bottle. He still seemed a little dazed, but Becca knew that the symptoms could easily come on a bit later. Patting her knees, she avoided looking at him until she saw the lights of an ambulance and two paramedics arrive.

"Ryder?" the male EMT asked, "Hi I'm Sam, this here is Laura. If you're ok to walk, we can head to the ambulance and Laura will ask you the questions when we get in."

Ryder nodded, non-verbally replying and clutching the back of his head. Becca immediately scampered to follow them.

"Are you joining us?" Sam asked.

"Yes."

Sam got in the front to drive, whilst Laura helped Ryder lie down in the gurney. Becca sat in the shaky plastic chair beside Ryder's feet, strapping herself in. A shaky start and off the ambulance went.

"Ok Ryder, I have a few questions for you. If you can't answer them I'm sure..."

"Becca," the blonde supplied.

"Becca can answer for me. Full name and date of birth?"

"Ryder James Lynn, birthday is January 11th 1997," he replied, sounding groggy.

"Do you have any medical issues, past health problems including the heart, allergies or any history of brain trauma?"

"Nope, fit as a fiddle."

"Can you tell me who the current President is?"

"Barack Obama."

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three."

"Great, and can you remember from what happened?"

"I remember getting tackled and that's basically it, woke up on the floor with my head hurting."

"What symptoms are you having?"

"My head still really hurts, but it's lessened since when I woke up. I feel a bit dazed, I guess, a bit confused. My vision was blurry when I woke up but that's subsided. Oh, I see stars but they're only kinda mild I guess."

"Are you on any medication or drugs, illegal or otherwise?"

"No meds, no drugs."

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"How much alcohol do you drink a week?"

"I don't drink every week or all that much; usually if I go to parties I'll have a few beers and shots, nothing too bad. My parents let me have wine and champagne on special occasions."

"Last question- a tiny bit awkward but it's not in front of your parents. Are you sexually active?"

Ryder was definitely avoiding Becca's eye.

"I am yes."

"Protection?"

"Yes, always have a condom."

"I have the implant in my arm," Becca added. That conversation with her parents had been awkward as hell, but they didn't ask about her sex life and just accepted that it was sensible for the teenager. They didn't particularly want to be grandparents, especially considering Becca was staunchly anti-abortion.

"Oh are you two?" Laura pointed between them with her pen.

"Yes," Becca nodded.

"Well I guess you're the best person to ask that in front of," Laura joked, "How kind of you to come with us, it must have been scary seeing your boyfriend get knocked out like that."

"Terrifying," Becca agreed quietly.

The rest of the journey involved Laura talking to Ryder in order to gauge if he was ok and alert. Becca did not say anymore for the rest of the journey, doing the cross on her chest and praying silently. Laura saw her do it, but did not say a word, clearly sensing that there was some tension in the ambulance. The hospital was not too far from the school, so they soon arrived in the docking bay. Becca jumped out immediately, listening as Sam and Laura briefed the waiting doctors on what the situation was. The blonde thanked them very earnestly before running after the doctors and Ryder. She listened to them talk to him as they arrived into a small hospital room.

Becca stood beside them, the trainee doctor rattling off a symptom list to the resident and talking about how it looked like concussion, but could be more.

"Well I think it is a case of concussion," the trainee, Dr. Lawson, told them, "But of course we have to do a scan to ensure that it's nothing serious. I doubt there is, but a lot of time athletes have injuries that hide themselves well. I will arrange a CT scan. It won't take too long, but we need to find a room and analyse the results. If it's just a case of concussion, you can go home but if it's anything more, we'll keep you in. What's your name miss?"

Becca jolted to attention, "Becca."

"Becca, maybe take this time to go get a coffee or something, meet us here in roughly half an hour?"

"Ok," she nodded, "I'll call your parents, get a coffee as well. See you in half an hour. Is there a place I can make a call doctor?"

"Down the hall there's a little reception area, you can use your cell in there."

"Thank you. See you later."

Turning on her heel, she marched off to the reception area without any look at Ryder. She felt bad, but she was still really mad at him and couldn't shake it, even though she felt sick at the thought of him having anything worse than concussion. A brain bleed or something like that, it was possible, unlikely but still possible. Shaking her head, she arrived in the reception area to call the Lynns.

They were away for the night; Ryder had said that to Laura in the ambulance. It was looking to be a concussion, but all parents would worry about their child being in a hospital, even for something so minor as this.

The phone rang several times before it picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi Dr. Lynn, it's Becca."

"Oh hello Becca, what's up?"

"Erm, I just thought I should let you know that Ryder got sacked really hard in the game. Got knocked out, looking like it's a concussion. We're at the hospital; I rode with him in the ambulance."

"Oh my God, Becca is he ok? He's not really bad is he?"

"He's walking and talking, a little confused and has a headache but he's not too bad. He was out for about five minutes, not ideal but if he was out for any longer that would be worse. They're talking hm for a CT scan as we speak; they're quick so anything that comes up should be ok. I think they'll discharge him without a problem."

She heard Jessica in the background, Peter telling her what was happening. A sharp yell came from the mother as she rushed to the phone.

"Is he ok? Is he breathing?"

"He's fine Mrs. L," Becca assured, "It's looking like a concussion."

"Do we need to come home?"

"No need, Mrs. L, I promise. They'll probably just discharge him tonight; I'll stay over to watch over him, nothing seems too serious so they'll just bench him for a bit. If all comes out ok, I'll text you. If it's anything serious, I'll call you. Look, the next couple of days he'll need watching, but he'll have me for tonight. I promise I'll keep a close eye on him, it'll be all fine."

"Thank you so much Becca," Dr. Lynn smiled at the other end, "I know you two have had a tough week, but I'm glad you're there for him."

"You know I'll do anything for him. Look, I need to call my folks to ask them to bring my stuff; if I don't call you then you know he's fine. What time are you back tomorrow?"

"Around 2, we'll pick up Liv from her slumber party first."

"Great, I'll see you then."

"Bye Becca, thank you."

Becca hung up, calling her parents to let them know the score. She listed the stuff to put in her overnight bag and her dad told her to call when they needed picking up. The blonde grabbed a coffee, thumbing through an old magazine and trying to avoid the angry mother yelling at a poor nurse about her daughter not being in a comfortable enough bed. Maybe she should be glad that her daughter was alive, thought Becca, having pieced enough of the conversation to realise that the woman had been hit by a falling sign. After a long enough time, Becca decided to head back to the room.

Ryder lay in the bed, laughing with the nurse.

"Hi," she stood in the doorway awkwardly.

"Oh hello sweetheart," the nurse took the glass of water from Ryder, "The doctor is coming now. Is that all you need?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Alright sweetheart, make sure your helmet gives you better protection for sports next time."

Ryder nodded as Dr. Lawson came back in, CT scan image in hand.

"Good news Ryder; it's all clear. No damage or anything substantial- concussion doesn't come up on scans see, so anything major would have cropped up. As your symptoms have gotten better and not worse, it's safe to say that you're all clear for takeoff. Now, it doesn't mean you're completely clear. For the next few days or so, you still may get mild headaches and concentration issues. I suggest that you take a week off football and maybe only go back to playing after two weeks; practice is fine after a week. For headaches, just take painkillers but avoid aspirin at your age. I'd maybe avoid driving until after symptoms clear- do you drive? Yes, ok, well maybe get someone to give you rides to school. Rest, take it easy, and make sure you have constant supervision for the next forty eight hours. Have your parents been informed?"

"I called them," Becca told her, "They're away until tomorrow afternoon, but I can stay the night. My dad will bring my bag, give us a lift. I can drive Ryder to school and back, our practices usually are at the same time anyway."

"Fantastic," Dr. Lawson nodded, "If that's settled, you can get your things together. Take it easy, but you should be fine within a few days."

"Thank you doctor," Ryder smiled, "You've been a real help."

"Yeah, thanks for looking after him."

"No problem, if you could just sign these papers and give them to a nurse, then you'll be free to go."

"I'll call my dad, be back in a moment."

Becca went outside, called her dad to pick them up then immediately went back to Ryder's home. She was luck in that her house wasn't that far from the hospital, so no awkward waiting around. Ensuring Ryder could walk properly, the two then headed out into the elevator. Awkward silences were abound, Becca avoiding looking at her boyfriend at all. They stepped out into the parking lot, sitting on a bench by the entrance. Luckily, Andrew's car arrived almost immediately.

"You need a hand?" Andrew asked, stepping out of the car.

"Good thanks Mr. H," Ryder replied as Becca helped him into the seat, going into the passenger side.

"Nasty stuff there Ryder, illegal tackle?"

"Helmet on helmet, right into my head. It was an accident, but still."

"How are you feeling, son?"

"My head aches a bit and I'm a bit dazed, but I feel a lot better than I did when I woke up."

"Well that's good," Andrew nodded, before looking to Becca, "How was school peanut?"

Becca talked to her father, Ryder noticing her eyes glaring him down from the rear view mirror. He remained silent for the ride, his head still aching somewhat. Arriving at his house was a huge relief.

"Have a good time sweetheart, make sure to look after Ryder."

"Will do daddy."

"You look after yourself champ; make sure you don't go aggravating that injury."

"I will Mr. H, don't worry."

Andrew waited in the car until they had both gotten safely in the house. Ryder had reached to take Becca's bag for her, but faltered when she didn't even look in his direction. As soon as they were inside, Becca pulled her bobble out and let her long blonde hair cascade out. Ryder's eyes snapped to her when she did that, but she again ignored him and headed into the kitchen.

"You must be hungry," Becca observed, "I'm starving, I'll make us something."

"There's frozen pizza in the freezer."

"I'll sort it, do you want a drink?"

"Just one of the flavoured waters in the fridge please. Have whatever you want."

Becca nodded, throwing on the oven and prepping the work. She did it in a robotic silence, acting as though Ryder wasn't there.

"I'll sleep on your bedroom floor."

"Don't be ridiculous, you've slept in my bed before."

"I don't think that will be necessary," she replied curtly.

He had no idea how to respond, considering how pissy she was. It felt like there was a shard of cold, hard ice between them.

"Why are you here?" he eventually asked.

"I'm here because it's the right thing to do. You have concussion, I need to make sure that it's nothing serious- you need me to keep an eye on you. Hebrew 13:16: 'Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

"This isn't about religion. Becca, you have barely looked at me all evening and anything you've said to me is just necessary stuff. You haven't said a word to me since Monday. Sitting in that hospital, when you tried absolutely everything to avoid talking to me, which felt crap. Can you see why I have no clue why you're here? You can't just scream at me in a corridor, tell me that you're unhappy with me and then freeze me out for four days, but then immediately swoop in to take me to hospital. I just don't get you."

Becca nearly slammed the oven door closed.

"Just because I'm mad at you doesn't mean I have stopped loving you. Do you know how it was to see you getting sacked like that on the field? I didn't know if you were breathing for a second. We've studied the brain in biology this system, any problems with it are completely serious. So stop trying to act as though I'm the bitch for wanting to look after you," she snapped.

"I'm grateful, I really am."

"Well you're not acting like it."

"Like I said, we haven't spoken in four days and honestly, I'm not sure where we really are."

Becca didn't reply.

"Look, I get you're pissed at me about the Roxy thing," Ryder continued, "But I'm not going to you act like this. At one moment you're glaring at me in the hallways, other times you're watching over me when I'm injured. I miss you, Becca, I miss you a lot. Can we please just talk about this? I can't stand us ignoring one another. You know when you said I was treating you like crap? Believe me, that hurt like hell because I always thought that I've treated you like a princess, because it's what you deserve. Yeah, I have been an idiot and spent more time with Roxy than needed, but I still am not going to let that slide. You know how I feel right now? One part of me is so thrilled that I get to be near you again and that you're being so lovely, but the other part of me is angry that you're acting like I'm nothing."

"How the hell do you think it made me feel?" Becca yelled back, "You have no idea. When we first started dating, nearly every one of my friends said it wouldn't last. Even Aimee and Jordan had their doubts, they didn't have to tell me but they never disagreed with Bree when she started spouting shit. All the guys continue hitting on me like I'm about to jump into bed with them. That may seem shitty for you, but it feels bad for me too. Everyone doubts us and it hurts because you make me happier than the material things that popularity brings. Dating you was a big step for me because before that, I was too scared to do anything I thought other people wouldn't like. I love that we have been together for so long, that we have proved them wrong. I thought we showed that the running back who loves to sing and dance can be happy with the run of the mill cheerleader. Then Roxy came along. She's beautiful, she's talented, and she's new. You have so many connections with her, like all your rock stuff and video games. I can't compete with any of that, she is like the female version of you. What sucks the most is that she has your attention, like you want to be with her all the time and you do. It hurts because I just want to spend time with you but I can't because she's there. The problem is she's so damn nice as well; she's not even a bitch. I can't even hate her, in fact I'm really jealous of her- she has a great complexion, have you noticed? Anyway, you can be pissy at me all you right but I am justified to be simultaneously angry and irrevocably in love with you!"

"Becca, look at me."

She looked angry, but she did.

"I love you. That's all. I love you; I love every part of you. I shouldn't have to tell you this but I do. Roxy's great, yeah she is pretty and talented but she's nothing more than a friend. Being different doesn't make you better than any other girl, just like being conventional doesn't make you any better. Why can't you just accept that?"

"Take a wild stinking guess."

"I screwed up, ok? I let my friendship with Roxy take over and it wasn't cool, but it doesn't take away from the fact that you are the only girl I care about. The thing with Marley is long over, hell it wasn't even thing and I was never going to be with Unique. This week has been hell on earth; I've missed you so much. I hated seeing you about to cry, it broke my heart. I love you Becs, I really do- I even love it when you rant about chemical equations that I don't understand. I know so much, not just how much you love Fleetwood Mac and God, but all the little things, like how you hate having your hair in a high pony; that face you do when someone annoys you and how you always tap the steering wheel in a specific way when you sing along to the car radio. I don't want to be with Roxy, I want to be with you. You are so beautiful Becca, so so beautiful, prettier than every other girl in the school. You rock those cheers, you absolutely smash it with all your grades and you have the sweetest heart. I want to be with you alone, my gorgeous Cheerio who I never thought I'd ever get with. Now I'm the happiest guy at school. I may not be the best football player or the best in Glee club, but I have the best girl and that absolutely beats it all. For God sakes Becca, I just want it to be like it always was. We can learn from this- I won't spend so much time with Roxy and you won't say shit you don't mean. I want us to be holding hands again in the corridor, with you wearing my letterman. You look really cute in it."

Becca considered it for a moment before taking the pizza out of the oven.

"Do you really want to act all angry like you did that time when that idiot nearly T-boned us outside the ice cream place and you nearly made him cry when we found him?"

That finally got Becca, who started to smile, "You said you'd never bring that up again."

"Well, it was pretty epic and also a great way to make you smile," Ryder went forward.

Becca let out a light chuckle, "Yeah, I guess. Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you like that, you're not a crappy boyfriend at all, you're actually the best boyfriend ever. No metaphorical guy, future or past, could ever beat you. I hated this week too, I just wanted to run into your arms in the middle of the cafeteria. Seeing you get sacked like that, your heart stop. I kinda had to yell at the guy who did it and the coach though."

"What did you say?" Ryder asked in light disapproval.

"Nothing much, just set them straight," Becca shrugged, her Queen Bitch smirk on, "Anyway, I love you too loser. You are the hottest guy in school with _the_ best arms and the best heart. Bobby and Phil can suck on a hot one. You're mine."

"I'm sorry for how I reacted to you and how distant I've been. You're also going to have to apologise to Roxy."

Becca groaned.

"Becca, you basically called Roxy a prostitute."

"Yeah I know, I'll set the record straight," she nodded grimly, "Kiss and make up?"

"Kiss and make up," Ryder agreed.

Becca leaned in; expecting a big kiss, but Ryder instead grabbed her and dipped her, putting their lips together in a passionate make out session. It was several minutes before they broke apart.

"Well that was something," Becca laughed.

"Only the best for my girl. Come on, let's eat, I am very hungry."

The two laughed and chatted over dinner, the anger between them clearly over. Becca cleared the plates for Ryder, insisting to even though he said that he was perfectly fine.

"I think we're gonna need to shower," Becca stated, "You still stink from the football game and I smell from second-hand association."

"Well perhaps we can shower together?" Ryder gave her a sly smile.

"Ryder..."

"You said it yourself; you need to keep an eye on me. Besides, it conserves water, as Mrs. Northup says."

"Mrs. Northup is crazy, but I can't ignore such advice," Becca shrugged.

The blonde brought her stuff upstairs, the two then getting into the shower together. Ryder's kisses were wet against her neck, which she loved. The showers at the Lynn household were incredible; it was like being in a rainstorm. She also was borrowing Mrs. Lynn's body scrub, which was the best feeling against her skin because it was so damn luxurious.

"Can I wear your shirt?" Becca asked when they arrived in Ryder's bedroom.

"Don't you have your own night clothes?" Ryder asked as Becca rifled through her bag for her hairbrush and make up remover.

"Yeah, but yours is so much comfier."

"Fine, but this isn't going to be a hoodie situation."

"It will stay at your house, I pinky promise," Becca showed him her uncrossed fingers. Ryder shook his head, throwing the shirt at his girlfriend. She put it on, prepping for bed. Clambering into the warm covers, she went to cuddle in Ryder's arms.

"Shall we watch some America's Funniest Home Videos before we go to bed?" Ryder suggested.

"Of course babe," Becca pulled out her tablet.

They watched it for an hour before the mutual decision was made for them to go to bed. Becca briefly left the blankets to pray, on her knees against Ryder's feet. He watched quietly as she did her usual night prayers (in silence), not the type to join her. Before they switched the lights out, they cuddled in each other's arms.

"How are you feeling babe?"

"Better, still a very slight headache but the rest of it's gone. I think I'm gonna be ok, but I won't jinx it. Thank you for looking after me, you've been really great watching out for me. I know you were pissed at me but you had my back, just like I always do. I like getting to be with you."

"Well good for you, because so do I," the blonde replied, her chin against his chest, "And you're welcome, because I would never leave you alone with this. Think of me as your very own sexy version of Mary Nightingale."

"That's a weird mental image, but I have many other mental images to think of you by," he teased, playing with her hair.

"You know we're not going to be able to have sex for like another week and a half right?"

"Oh come on babe, it's not like my brain was blended or anything."

"It's a strenuous activity babe, especially when we do it," Becca blinked up at him with her big eyes.

"I'm sure certain activities won't be too much of a stretch."

"Ooh hush you," she smacked his chest playfully, "Anyway, I am super tired as I imagine you are, so let's get some sleep and you can continue your weird seduction attempts."

"I can't say I'm too tired, a certain beauty has made me far too excited," he rolled over so that he was hovering over Becca.

"You want me to talk chemistry to you so you can fall asleep?"

"I'm not _that_ tired," he kissed her head, "But you're right, we should get some sleep. Night gorgeous."

"Night handsome," she kissed his cheek, "Wake me up if you need anything."

"I will, I promise. Love you."

"Love you more," she assured, cuddling into his chest. He leaned over to turn out the lamp, kissing her head one more time. His hand tangled into her hair and her arms clutching his chest, the two soon fell into a blissful sleep, wondering how a concussion could get them back on the right track when it came to their relationships. Neither complained though, it was the best.

 **Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed it! It was originally going to be a two part chapter involving some drunken antics on Becca's part, but I decided that this was better and more personal.**

 **Next Time: Becca recruits the Glee club to help at a homeless charity just before Christmas, where she begins to bond with Roxy.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it, please don't forget to review. I've got a general plan for the next six chapters at least, as well as a few after that, but if you have any suggestions, please let me know what you'd like to see xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for the support so far, it's fab xxx**

 **Chapter 9**

"Mr. Schuester!" Becca called out.

The teacher turned around as Becca jogged over to him in the corridor.

"Hi Becca," he smiled, "What can I do for you? Do you need help with your decline of European imperialism essay?"

"Oh no, I've done that."

"It's not due for another month."

"I was bored, decided to get on with it," she shrugged, "It was fine."

"Don't you take all AP classes?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Yeah but it's easy to juggle. Anyway, I was wondering if I could talk to the Glee club about something I need help with. I volunteer with the Lima Rescue Mission, you know the homeless place? Anyway, I'm helping organise a Christmas Spectacular for them, I've got the Christian Club on board and I'd like the Glee club to provide some entertainment."

"That sounds great Becca, I'm sure they'll be happy to help. We did it about three years ago with the old crew; it'll be great to get the new people on board. Come with me now, I'm heading to practice."

She followed him down the corridor, Mr. Schue leading her into the choir room. The New Directions looked confused as she entered behind him, clutching her folders. There was something nerve wrecking about being in the choir room with all the Glee club, with all their eyes on her. At least Ryder's sweet smile from the drum kit was enough, he'd completely lit up when he saw her.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Kitty sniped.

"I'm not here for your winning personality, you're drier than the Sahara in that respect," Becca shot back.

There was widespread chuckles and laughter from the Glee club. Kitty looked affronted, going to look at Spencer, the nearest person to her. He was guffawing.

"It was a good line, c'mon," he defended.

"Guys please, Becca has some to talk to you, so please be respectful," Mr. Schuester interrupted, "Becca you have the floor."

"Thanks Mr. Schue," she smiled, "Hi you guys, I obviously know most of you so I will make this quick. I volunteer with the homeless at the Lima Rescue Mission and we're putting on a Christmas Spectacular. Joan Chapman has put me in charge of organising it in exchange for writing me a glowing note on my college application so I was thinking who better to ask than my favourite Glee club to do some entertainment. You will be singing for most of the night, but I do need you all to do little activities too. We're going to be doing make up and nails for the women, playing with the kids, doing cards with the old people- going all out, making them have a really great night so Christmas won't be just a small present from the holiday donors. The Christian Club is being really helpful, so it won't be just you guys, I'm also going to ask the JROTC and Scouts to do it, they're all about the charity. It will be on Friday 19th, the day we break up for winter vacation. There are people in this room- and they know who they are- that I expect to come early to help set up but the rest of you will be required to spend about four hours there. Refreshments will be provided, I'd like you to possibly donate some money but I understand not everyone is able so please do not feel obligated. The people at the mission are amazing and we have some truly deserving citizens so I think it'd be great!"

She clapped her hands slightly, looking around the room with widely optimistic eyes.

"Last time we sang for a homeless shelter, they threw dirty diapers at us," Jake remarked, breaking the silence, "They also stunk of alcohol."

"Yeah, I don't really want to get infected with heroin needles," Chloe shrugged.

"I don't get what some evening is going to do for them," Madison added, "Not to sound insensitive or anything, it's a really nice idea, but it's not like it's going to get them a house or a job. I do want to do it, I'm happy to help I just don't get it."

"We want to help, but only for those who want an audience," Unique supplied to several nods, "How do we know these people want to see some kids from a good school sing for them?

"Domestic abuse," Becca replied.

"Excuse me?" Madison asked.

"Domestic abuse. A woman can't stay in her home because the husband beats the shit out of her kids and her, but the house is in her name. Some lower income worker on a minimum wage with severe schizophrenia can't afford health insurance to see a psychiatrist, so he's fired and evicted. A veteran with no permanent home has no means in which to get a place to live, he's too low on the Section 8 housing list. An LGBT teenager has unsympathetic parents, gets kicked out because they don't want a child who likes the same gender. Some person who got ten years for a few ounces of weed can't get a place because who wants to hire a felon? Those are the people that are in that situation, not always some fondling alcoholic. You may not think that this is worthy of your time because you'd rather be singing at some bar mitzvah in front of screaming teenagers, you may think you're not helping these people, but you are actually giving them some semblance of joy in the most wonderful time of the year. Most of us live in nice houses with loving parents and a stable income. Some of us aren't as well off and live in Lima Heights. So get off your high horse and for once give a shit. You're not shoving the fact you have a house in their face nor will you need to expect a homeless person to throw a skid mark diaper at you. You know I expected that you guys would help; you're always the type to care for others. Considering the constant problems that you all seem to go through, I thought you'd want to help. I guess I was wrong about you. Guess I'll go talk to Vocal Adrenaline, for all their flaws they know an opportunity when it bites them in the butt. If any of you want to help as individuals, talk to me. Oh well."

She did an exaggerated shrug and began to walk out of the door.

"Wait, stop!" Jake called out.

Becca spun back around, raising an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"I think I speak for the Glee club when I say that we'd all love to help," he told her, "I mean, we weren't going to say no. We've had bad experiences but we're not going to be a dick and say no to helping a bunch of homeless people. Besides, we're always willing to sing for an audience."

"Half-baked Bruno Mars is right," Kitty added, "I know you and I don't get along, and I still think you're a bitch, but we both believe in sweet baby Jesus. For Jesus' big day, he'd want us to help a few old smelly creeps."

Becca looked at them for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"I can't believe you guys fell for that," she was almost weak at the knees, "Seriously? I wasn't about to go talk to Vocal Adrenaline, I was about to get a rise out of you. God, you guys are so easy to wind up, I thought you'd be a bit more agreeable. All the talk about being disappointed in you? Total bull."

"Wait that was all made up?" Unique asked.

"Well, the stuff about the cause of homelessness wasn't, but the rest of it was total crap to see how much I could guilt you before you'd break."

"Rookie mistake guys, rookie mistake," Spencer shook his head.

"Wait you knew she was playing with us?" Mason asked, turning in his seat.

"She's my best friend, I know how she operates. This is her manipulation; do you ever wonder why everyone does what she says? Silver tongued."

"Yeah exactly," Becca nodded, "I knew you'd fall, just thought that twisting the knife might be fun. As I have your agreement, I will add you all to the group chat and take it from there. I'll leave you all to the set list once we've made arrangements, but I request that you please DON'T do 'Do they Know it's Christmas?' because it's a depressing song and the line 'tonight thank God it's them instead of you' is so insensitive. If you have any questions that may get lost in the group chat, please ask me or shoot me a message. Other than that, I don't want to cut into your regionals rehearsal time so thanks again for agreeing, enjoy practice and I will see you all for sure on Friday 19th."

Clasping her hands, she went over to quickly kiss the smirking Ryder. As she was about to leave, she heard Ricky start to speak.

"Was I the only one who thought that it was incredibly sexy? Seriously, if I was like 16..."

"No," Becca turned around as she walked backwards out of the door, "But just remember kid, Ryder over there is getting to have sex with the hottest girl in school whilst you're still getting round the child locks to watch porn in your folks' basement."

Ricky looked shocked, gulping like a goldfish as everyone 'oohed.' A grin on her face, Becca walked out of the door.

-GROW APART-

"Ryder and Spencer, I need you to do lifting over there, Kitty make-up station please, Alistair microphone and sound need doing..."

Becca rattled off a list of instructions to everyone, in full command. Nobody was stupid enough to complain- Joan Chapman, the head of the mission, had told everyone in no uncertain terms that Becca was in charge and they should listen to her. They still weren't impressed anyway, the blonde having gone into cheer captain move and barking orders at anyone who moved. Those who were not up to her standard were told exactly that, she didn't mince her words. Everyone was exhausted setting up, but had to plaster on a smile to pretend they were ok.

"Is she always like this?" Chloe whispered to Mason.

"I am," Becca interrupted, "Chloe, can you please get out the board games?"

Becca then walked away as fast as she had arrived.

"Yeah, she's great once you get to know her but she doesn't take any prisoners when it comes to stuff she cares about," Mason replied, "Could you believe she's the good cop to Bree's bad cop? I mean, she works us hard but she cares and has a good heart. Bree's just a cow. I'd have Becca telling me what to do over Bree in a heartbeat."

Chloe sniggered in response before going off to do what Becca had told us.

"KJ, Madison," Becca waltzed over to them, clapping them both on the shoulder, "How are decorations coming along? Ooh, they look really great you guys! I love the snowflakes, you've done brilliantly. The residents are going to love it!"

"Thanks," Madison smiled, shocked by the praise from the girl who had been overly critical all day.

"Oh, one last thing," Becca stated, turning around, "You guys totally need to get it on. Everyone can see it but you that you totally dig one another. I know what it's like to dance around your feelings, Ryder and I did it for months before we finally got our act together. Now we're totally in love, having amazing sex and overall perfectly awesome together. If you need any dating tips, just holler. You guys would be totally cute together."

She then moved away with a flourish, undone hair dancing behind her. KJ and Madison looked at each other in a bit of a shock.

Becca looked around, surveying the room with a smile. The New Directions, Christian Club, JROTC and Scouts were a great team, everyone was working hard to make the mission a winter wonderland for just one evening. It meant a lot seeing them all work together, it was an issue that she cared about the most. Unique and Madison had been right to wonder if the homeless would be helped by some extravaganza and though they wouldn't necessarily be, it was nice for them to have some time to forget. Becca just wanted everyone to come together for the true meaning of Christmas. Whilst most cared about presents and food, the religious Becca wanted to show the charitable and caring side of the good holiday.

"Everything is going so well, we're about to bring the residents in," Joan came up next to her, "That boyfriend of yours is a real cute kid, if I was his age I'd be running around with a schoolgirl crush."

Becca laughed, "He is the cutest. I'll get everyone ready."

"Thanks kid, I knew I could rely on you. You're gonna get a killer recommendation for Harvard."

Joan went off to fetch the residents whilst Becca cajoled everyone into position. The Glee club went up to the stage to begin the songs, whilst everyone else went to go to their activities. It was a good variety, from a beauty station to a chess station, everyone manning it according to their skills. There was a prayer circle at one end (technically allowed because the mission was a Christian-based one), all of the religious kids ready to pray and preach from their bible.

The doors burst open, the residents pouring into the room.

"Welcome everyone, come on in and pick your stations!" Becca greeted, "We've got plenty to choose from, toys over there for the children if you want to drop them off in the capable hands of Meredith and Joshua. Our marvellous choir will be doing a small assortment of Christmas classics before they will come to help out. We're going to open the floor for dancing later too, so let's everyone get our groove on."

Some of the long term residents greeted Becca. The blonde took a little girl by the hand to do her hair, smiling as New Directions started their rendition of 'Last Christmas.'

The blonde flitted between all the stations for the next few hours, checking that everyone was having a good time. The New Directions took a break to rest their voices, the sound system Alistair had set up working like a charm.

Becca needed some help untangling some of the crafts. Looking around desperately for help, she saw that nearly everyone was busy doing something. Apart from one person, one person she had been doing everything to avoid. Taking a deep breath, she called out.

"Roxy!"

The brunette swirled around.

"Can you please help me sort out the crafts? Some of the kids have tangled them."

Roxy nodded, going to sit beside her. They worked in silence until Becca decided that an apology is way overdue.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened between us. I should have apologised days ago, better yet, I shouldn't have treated like that at all. I was so, so jealous, I thought Ryder had like fallen in love with you or something. You were spending so much time together, it felt like he'd forgotten me. When I saw that hug outside the game store, all sense of normalcy just shot out the window for me. I really love Ryder and I was just scared of losing him, just as everyone else had said I eventually would. You see, I was really threatened by you. You're so hard to dislike, you're so nice and so pretty. Like, seriously, it's like you were both born into rock music and nerd cultures. I didn't consider the fact that Ryder's a nice guy and that you're not a boyfriend stealing whore. So please don't hate me."

"I don't hate you, Becca. Yeah, I admit you were a real bitch to me and it wasn't totally justified, but I can understand why you were mad. I know you love Ryder; you didn't want him to get away from you. I accept your apology Becca."

"Maybe we can be friends?" Becca suggested.

"I'd like that," Roxy smiled, "You know, Ryder really loves you. Like I have seen a lot of couples, I mean I've practically lived in every state, but you two are really something special. Whenever we're together, he talks about you all the time. I see how he looks at you, it's super cute."

"I love him too, so much," Becca untangled some strings, "He's amazing, so amazing. I never thought you could love someone like this when you're 17 but I do. I just don't know how it's gonna be when we're away for college, miles apart."

"You have months to think about that," Roxy replied, "But yeah, Ryder's a good guy. He's helped me out with a lot of stuff."

"Can I pry?"

"Only if you promise not to tell anyone. I know we're not besties, but I trust you."

"I swear to God himself," Becca promised, hand on heart.

"Ok, so before I was I was in Iowa, I was in El Paso. For some reason I found it so hard to make friends there. I wasn't bullied, but I just couldn't fit in with anyone. The choir wasn't taking new members, I didn't make the school play and the band was also full up. I ate lunch alone every single day, when I partnered up in class it was the other person who was alone- usually another loser. My parents would ask me everyday what I did and I just watched their eyes when I said nothing. Under my bedroom window there was this sort of slanted roof you could sit on. It was always nice, so I would sit on it and do my homework. One night my foot must have slipped or something, because I started to slide down. I held on but I fell. Luckily my parents heard me yell, so my dad caught me when I came sliding off it. They thought I'd tried to kill myself. I hadn't, but they were totally convinced I was depressed and suicidal. So they sent me to see this shrink. The shrink knew that I hadn't tried, but she worked out that there was something wrong. Deep down, it turns out I was depressed. I felt low a lot of the time, like I was in this dark hole that I couldn't claw my way out of. Most of the time I didn't sleep and I found I couldn't concentrate in class. My math teacher thought I was just not good at it, which isn't totally incorrect, but I just couldn't concentrate. She put me on meds, low dose, but I was on them until I came here. Bouncing from place to place is hard enough, so it makes seeing a therapist hard. I do an online session with a woman my insurers recommended. I've weaned off my meds, they were low dosage ones for short term use. Ryder's helped a lot, helped me connect with people. I get on really well with Chloe and KJ, we hang out all the time, it's great to understand people. There's this guy I like too, but I still feel uneasy talking about it."

"Who is it?"

"Promise not to laugh?" Roxy asked nervously.

"I swear."

"Roderick," the brunette managed to squeak out.

Becca couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Roderick?" she managed inbetween giggles, raising her eyebrow, "Really?"

"Hey, you promised not to laugh," Roxy chided.

"I know, it's just a surprise. So what do you see in him?"

"I don't know, he's just different," Roxy shrugged, "He's like an old soul, he loves Otis Redding and Duke Ellington. All the other guys are so loud and boisterous; he listens to people and is just in the background. I like him, he connects to music in a way I do. He's the only guy I see in a crowd, I imagine that's what it is for you and Ryder. There's something special about him."

"Cuuutee," Becca cooed, "If you need me to talk to him for you, I definitely will. If he makes you happy, then that's super important."

"Thanks," Roxy smiled, "I may take you up on that."

"If you get together, we can be the R gang!"

"The what now?"

"Rebecca, Ryder, Roxy and Roderick."

"Ah," Roxy agreed, "I get it. Well, hopefully one day."

"About the whole depression thing. I imagine it's hard but I have never experienced it, so I don't know exactly what it's like and I can't think what it is. There's a stigma around meds, but it's good you had the courage to go on them as well as talk to somebody. You're a warrior Roxy, AC/DC should write a song about you for being so brave. You're an amazing person. I don't think it'll change overnight, but I really hope life gets better for you. God loves everyone and He tests us all, but I will pray my hardest for him to ease your burden. I want you to know you're never alone. Even if you think you are, there will always be one person or the other who is ready to catch you as you fall. Roxanne Taylor, you're a queen. One day I'll be listening to the songs you produce in an LA studio, you're wicked talented. We're friends Roxy; you're stuck with me bugging you. Thinks will get better somehow, someday. I'm always a phone call away and I will do everything to make sure you're ok. Mental health is so important. You walk with pride at the fact you're fighting this. You have nothing to be ashamed of; people should treat this like you would a physical condition. Go Roxy."

Roxy cracked a half smile.

"Thanks Becs- can I call you that?"

"My friends do, so of course," Becca nodded, "Hug?"

"Hug," Roxy agreed, the two embracing.

Across the room, Ryder noticed the two girls hugging. He smiled, glad it had all been resolved.

He felt a tug on his shirt, looking down to see an adorable little girl. Her hair was in thick bunches tied together by ribbons, her dress clearly a hand me down. It was easy to guess that she was one of the residents of the mission.

"Hi there."

"Hi, I'm Alyssa," she smiled up at him, big gap in her middle tooth.

"I'm Ryder, nice to meet you sweetie."

"Will you please dance with me?" she asked, her little face melting Ryder immediately.

"Of course Alyssa," he held out a hand, leading her to the dance floor, "Why don't you stand on my feet, I can lead you."

She stepped onto his feet, Ryder helping her up as the music played in the background.

"Are you enjoying tonight?"

Alyssa nodded emphatically, "Yes I am. It's usually nice here, but it makes it extra special. Mommy says Santa can't bring too many gifts this year, even though I've been a very good girl. She says maybe these nice people will help me. Becca gives me her old science books, I want to be a scientist now. Then I can help find a way to help all the sad people here."

That broke Ryder's heart.

"I miss home," Alyssa continued, "Mommy said that we couldn't stay after daddy left. He shouted a lot, but I don't know why he wouldn't let us stay in the house."

"Oh," Ryder had no idea how to respond to a little girl who probably didn't know her dad was abusive and had the house in his name. He wanted to take her and her family to a toy store and buy them everything.

"You keep looking at Becca. Is she your girlfriend?"

"She is actually, yes," Ryder smiled back down at Alyssa.

"Do you love her?"

"Yes, very much."

"Are you going to get married?" Alyssa asked, "Mommy said that when two people love each other very much, they get married. I've only been to one wedding, my auntie wore a big puffy white dress."

"We're a bit young for marriage," Ryder laughed, "We're still in high school."

"Are you going to wait until after you graduate? You'll be older then."

Ryder's heart sunk a little. He was still wondering what would happen to them when they went their separate ways in college- would they survive?"

"I'm not too sure Alyssa," he told her gently.

"Ok," she shrugged, before going into a long conversation about what life was like at the mission. It was hard to listen to an innocent child who didn't really know what was happening, a child who had to come here every day. It was a nice place, but no child should have to live in a homeless shelter. The song ended, Ryder doing a little bow to make Alyssa feel like a princess. The child giggled sweetly, kissing him on the cheek before running off to her mother.

"I see you're charming our young ones," a voice said.

He turned around, smiling at Becca, "She's a sweet kid. I think her dad was a dick."

Becca nodded, "I can tell you this, it's not confidential. Her parents got married quite young, her dad turned from charming to not very nice pretty quick after the wedding. Justine- that's Alyssa's mom- got pregnant because her husband was an ass about her birth control. She tried to get a backstreet abortion because she was too scared to go to Planned Parenthood, but it didn't work. Justine thought that maybe the baby would help her husband calm down a lot. As you can probably guess, that didn't work. Eventually they came to blows and the husband kicked them both out the house. It was in his name so Justine couldn't contest. She had no help, her husband had been so abusive that he'd made her cut contact with everyone she cared about. They've been here for nearly a year, getting housing is hard. Justine's been working on her qualifications, but Section 8 has her quite low down on the list even though she'd got a kid. Her husband even called CPS on her, luckily they cleared her so that Alyssa didn't have to live with him. It was lucky, the husband never physically hurt her so there was no evidence of physical abuse- it was hard to prove sadly. It's a really horrible situation, I pray for Alyssa a lot. She's such a lovely girl, she ravages those science books I've given her. I just hope she adjusts, a lot of people in places like this turn to drugs and whatnot."

The expression on the blonde's face was definitely a sad one.

"Well, it's people like you who help her through charity," Ryder squeezed her hand, "It seems you're more helpful than the federal government."

"Thanks Obama," Becca joked, "But you're right, we do the best we can."

Fantasy by Mariah Carey then came on the sound system.

"Remember this song was playing in the ice cream place when you confronted the guy that nearly t-boned us? Memories."

"I do," Becca laughed, "It's a great song."

"Then may I have this dance?" Ryder asked, holding out his hand.

"You may, kind sir," Becca took the hand offered.

Ryder twirled out his girlfriend, the two dancing happily in the middle. Everyone else around them seemed like a blur. Both were in a good mood- it was nearly Christmas, Becca's grandparents would be touching down on Sunday to spend the holidays with them. It was the first time with them all together, as Wendy and Patrick would also be joining them.

Another hour went by before it was time to wrap up, Becca going up to the stage to deliver the ending address.

"Hi everyone, it's nearly time to pack up."

Several people booed slightly at it having to end.

"I'm sorry guys, you'll have to take it up with Joan, she decides these things. Anyway, I want to thank everybody for coming. First round of applause for all the mission staff and volunteers for setting up...next to the Christian Club for their faith...now the JTROC and the Scouts for their wonderful help...New Directions for their beautiful music...and of course to all of our residents for participating. I hope that you all had a wonderful time. Before we end, the Glee club will be performing one last Christmas medley. I invite you all to the floor to dance along. So, presenting for the last time tonight...the New Directions."

Everyone applauded as the teens went up on stage, Becca handing the microphone to Kitty.

 _The cold wind and the streets are getting dark,_

 _I'm writing a letter but I don't know where to start,_

 _The bells will be ringing St. John the Divine,_

 _I always get a little lonely every year around this time_

Everyone went to the dance floor, dancing to the medley of Christmas hits. Moving onto the second and third song, they descended onto the main area, joining them to dance. Becca laughed as Spencer took her hand, spinning her around until she was dizzy. She danced with Alistair, Roderick and several of the others too, singing along with them. She noticed Roxy and Roderick shyly moving next to one another, Becca giving her friend a big thumbs up when Roderick's back was turned.

"Hey look what's above you," Spencer prompted.

Becca looked up to see her best friend holding up some mistletoe. Ryder happened to be next to her, turning around when she tapped him on the shoulder. He saw the plant when Becca pointed up.

"Ah, we can't disappoint a Christmas tradition," Ryder stated.

"I completely agree," Becca nodded, going in closer.

The two kissed each other, very content under the mistletoe.

 **Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed this. I always thought mental health (apart from the OCD) wasn't really mentioned in Glee, so I thought it was important to bring up. I'm sure it'll come up in later chapters.**

 **Next Time: It's a new school semester. Ryder gets into a big fight that could cost him dearly, leading Becca to play all of her cards in order to protect him.**

 **Thanks again! I hope you had a good Christmas if you celebrated it. Please don't forget to review to tell me what you think xxx**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the support; we're probably about just under halfway through the story xxx**

 **Chapter 10**

Christmas had been wonderful.

Becca had a great time, her grandparents flying in from Washington. Richard and Estelle Hamilton were pleased to see their daughter again for the first time in many years, as well as the grandson they hadn't known existed. On Christmas Day Becca had looked like the perfect Christian girl with a cross necklace, golden curls and a lacy white dress. Her grandparents had taken so many pictures of their 'good little girl,' Estelle cooing at the dress and telling her it'd be like her future bridal gown. Becca had to hold back a laugh at that- she was a good Christian, but she wouldn't be wearing white at her wedding. The presents had been lovely; particularly what Ryder had bought her. It was a personalised music box with 'Becca' etched on the top as well as a flower. When it opened, the box played 'Amazing Grace.'

They'd obviously gone to church, that was a given. What had surprised Becca was when she'd seen Ryder's tall head above several others- they weren't super denominational, but they did tend to go to the Presbyterian Church. The second she saw him, she ran into his arms to give him a hug. It turns out his grandparents were Methodist, so Ryder had casually suggested they go to that church. Liv had seen right through him- she knew he just wanted to see Becca. It had worked and the two spent an hour and a half next to one another in the pew, fingers laced together.

Christmas was over and January had arrived, officially 2015 and the year they would graduate. Coach Beiste had called all the football players in for a meeting, allowing them to skip out on whatever class they had. The official season had ended in December, but it was now playoff time which meant they needed to hold onto their championship status. She'd basically praised them for winning the season, but also made sure that they knew how important it was that they do exactly what she said in order to ace playoffs. It was the usual stuff, but they'd got out of class so no one was complaining.

Beiste left the room for a period, leaving the team to pack up before she handed out some sheets. Everyone split into their little groups to talk, Ryder and Spencer talking about Glee club stuff away from everyone else. Up near the door were Bobby and Phil with their little gang, being as shitty as usual. Their usual topic of girls had come up, Becca of course sliding into the conversation. Her dating Ryder did absolutely nothing to stop them constantly hitting on her. She was still the most popular girl in school; it was like she was a prize to be won. Ryder listened to them go on about it, safe in the knowledge she was happily with him. Unfortunately, today was one of the days where they were being especially lecherous.

"I feel Bree's more sort of smoking hot and Becca's cuter hot, do you get me?" Phil was saying, "I also think Bree would be better in bed, but Becca would be better at the other stuff."

"Becca would definitely be an easier girlfriend," Bobby added, "Like Bree's super hot and would do more stuff, but Becca's like super chill and wouldn't go have a tantrum like girls do. I think she'd be more fun. Plus she's like super religious and I wouldn't have to worry about her cheating, Bree's not gonna be the most faithful girl on the block."

"Yeah Bree's a bit much," Phil agreed, "Like fire, nice to look at but not to touch...mostly."

There was a hearty laugh from all of them.

"Becca though," Bobby smirked, "What we would do together..."

In then graphic and loud detail, Bobby proceeded to describe exactly what he and Becca would do. Bobby's crude words eventually reached Ryder, whose ears pricked up when he heard her name. Slowly he realised what was being said, as did a very annoyed Spencer. Spencer started to stand up, ready to tell Bobby to shut it, but Ryder had beaten him to it as he shot to the other side of the room.

Ryder approached the group as they were laughing very loudly.

"You mind shutting up about my girl?" he snapped at them.

"Ooh, someone's jealous," Bobby teased.

"I just don't like it when you talk about my girl like she's some piece of meat for you guys to devour. Maybe the best thing for you to do is shut your trap before I shut it for you."

"Fighting talk there," Phil clapped a hand on Bobby's shoulder.

"You just don't like the fact that I'm with Becca and you don't have a chance," Ryder continued, "You've always hated that Becca chose me, but if I were you, I'd just accept that we're together. She's happy with me."

"Are you sure she's happy with you?" Bobby teased, "Are you sure that when you guys are having at it that a real man doesn't slip in and do it properly for you? I'd be worried if I was you Ryder, because you sure as shit aren't a real man. The second we all go to college, Becca will be getting laid with future NFL players and Senators whilst you spend Friday nights alone with your computer. I bet she wipes her lips the second you lay a sloppy seal kiss on her, girl probably has a lot of lip smackers. How could a hot cheerleader like Becca be satisfied by a guy that wears spandex and sings a lot of gay show tunes? You're a loser Lynn, get to the programme. I could have Becca begging for more whilst she feigns a headache with you. Got it?"

Ryder was seething.

"Maybe don't talk smack about my girl, I'm not gonna have you talking about her that way. Yeah, maybe I don't like the way you talk about me but I can deal with that. My problem is when you bring Becca into this. Leave her alone you sack of shit."

Nobody expected Bobby to then connect his fist with Ryder's face, but it then happened. There was a quiet pause before Phil went forward and joined the fight. Seconds later and the three were in a massive fight, in a pile on the floor with hands flying at each other. Though it was two against one, Ryder was still holding his own as well as one could. Whilst nearly all of the team was egging them on, Spencer attempted to pull them apart but failed due to the sheer ferocity.

Whilst Ryder was holding on, he was still getting pummelled. It continued for what seemed like far too long before Beiste came into the room, immediately rushing over to break the fight apart, getting assistance from Spencer and a couple of reluctant others.

When they were finally torn apart, the injuries were evident. Ryder had a bruise on his cheek as well as scratches on his neck; Bobby had a busted lip and a black eye and Phil had what looked like a bite mark on his jaw. Each of them had ruffled hair, jackets falling off their shoulders and a general look of being dishevelled. Beiste stood between them whilst others held the fighting players apart, having to grip them tightly so that they did not escape for another round.

"What the hell is this?" Beiste screamed, millimetres from their faces, "Three of my players fighting each other, tearing chunks like some animals! Bobby, Phil I expect some fighting behaviour from both of you but Ryder, I expected much more of you. You look like you've been in the wars, what is wrong with you? For God's sake someone answer me."

"Prissy pants here can't take a joke," Bobby smirked in response.

"I also can't take it when you attack me first!" Ryder shot back, Spencer's grip holding him back from having another go of it, "Or talk smack about my girl."

The three went to have another fight, but were all held back.

"Right that's it," Beiste told them all, "You three are going to the nurse to get patched up right now! You are going to be watched whilst I get the true story from everyone, then we're going to be taking a little trip down to Principal Sylvester's office to discuss what I'm going to do with the three of you. Spencer, wrangle everyone together, I'll be back in a few minutes. C'mon you three, this way."

Dragging them all by the arm, Coach Beiste pulled them down the corridors. As they passed the guidance office, Mrs. Pillsbury noticed them and came rushing from her desk.

"What's happened here?" she asked, taking in the sight of the three busted up boys.

"Fight between these three," Beiste glared at them, "Could you do me a favour please? Take them to the nurse's office whilst I go get the story from my team. After it's done, we'll regroup to get them to Sue's office."

"Of course," Mrs. Pillsbury nodded, "Come on you three, I'm sure you'll want that all cleaned up."

"Thanks Emma," Beiste called as she headed back down to the corridor.

Phil, Bobby and Ryder awkwardly shuffled down the corridor, following Emma until they got into the nurse's office. Nurse June looked up from her desk, not needing to ask what had gone on. Looking to see who needed the most assistance, she decided that it was Bobby. Ryder and Phil were sent to the side, avoiding looking at one another whilst Nurse June cleaned up Bobby's lip. The only words spoken were between the nurse and the students as she asked about their injuries, Mrs. Pillsbury watching from the side. Ryder went to get out his phone, but one head shake from the guidance counsellor told him that was not to be.

Nurse June went to Phil next before arriving at Ryder.

"Hold against your bruise darling," she handed Ryder an ice pack, "Now I'm going to clean up those scratches. It may sting a little when I first press it in but then it should be ok."

Ryder hissed slightly when the wipe met his skin, but it quickly subsided. The nurse patched him up neatly.

"Put ice on your bruise for fifteen minutes a few times a day, it should help it go away more quickly. The scratches aren't too deep, they should go quickly."

"Thank you," Ryder replied bashfully.

It was a painfully long time before Coach Beiste arrived back, taking the boys and Emma with her. Nobody said a word as they arrived in Sue's office. Mr. Schuester was waiting at the side near the book case, obviously called in as an intermediary. The three sat down awkwardly, Ryder in one of the chairs with Bobby and Phil on the couch. Coach Beiste and Mrs. Pillsbury stood at the back near Mr. Schuester. Sue waited a moment before finally speaking.

"So why don't you three Neanderthals tell me what happened then?" she asked.

"Lynn pounced on me, that's what happened," Bobby pointed to his split lip, "Phil jumped in to help me, it was this freak that was the problem. He's so whiny."

"Actually you'll find Bobby went for me first," Ryder contested, "I admit I called him a sack of shit, but that was justified. I hadn't laid a finger on either of them, Bobby hit me first then Phil jumped in for whatever reason."

"So pray tell me Former Bieber Hair," Sue fixed her eyes on him, "Why you insulted Mr. Surette here? I thought you Glee clubbers were all about turning the other cheek and singing empowering homosexual show tunes when someone calls you a sissy? Surely you can deal with that?"

"I don't care what they say about me, but the second they bring Becca into this, I will do what I have to do to shut them up."

"What did you say about Little Miss Elle Woods?" Sue asked Bobby.

"I was just kidding around," the blond defended, "Ryder was being a sissy."

"Yeah, the part when you talked about how amazing her breasts would fit in your hand was a real good joke," Ryder responded, "Oh, I really liked the part when you were talking about positions. Look, sexual stuff like that is stuff guys talk about, I know that. Do you think that Becca and I have nice flowery conversations all the time? No. The thing is, I don't like it when you say really sexual stuff about women who aren't there, treat them like sexual objects all because of some freakish desire. Becca has rejected you on a number of occasions yet you continue being crude. You wonder why Becca thinks you're disgusting, don't you? It's because you say stuff like that. More to the point, she's my girlfriend and I don't want you to disrespect our relationship. They can say what the hell what they want about me, but I will never stand against crap towards my girl, whoever it is."

"Look at you being the white knight feminist," Phil sneered.

"Hardly," Ryder shot back, "I'm not protesting for Planned Parenthood or whatever, I'm just not going to let anyone disrespect Becca."

"Now Mr. Lipoff, why don't you tell me your version of events?"

"Simple, what Bobby said," Phil shrugged, "Ryder went for him, and I was just trying to defend my best bud. Got a few hits in."

Sue nodded, "Coach She-Male, what did the team say?"

"Well Bobby and Phil are both lying it seems," Beiste looked at them, unimpressed, "They all reported that a verbal altercation occurred- Ryder confronted Bobby for making lewd remarks about Becca, there was an argument, Bobby went for Ryder and Phil then joined in. It looked like Ryder was simply trying to defend himself, though he did resist anyone helping or breaking out the fight. That's no justification for the violence and Ryder should have some punishment, but he is still not as in the wrong as the other two are. My recommendation is that Ryder gets a warning, perhaps the other two some detention and an essay on respecting women?"

"I think that's a good idea," Mr. Schue nodded, speaking for the first time.

"Not so fast Butt Chin," Sue raised a hand, "I understand Mr. Lynn was only trying to protect himself, but he still inflicted some damage. The school board has issued a new ordinance on violence and we're increasing punishments. This is a serious issue and could impact our standing. What we're looking at here is a one-day suspension. I don't want to have to do this in your senior year, especially if the three of you actually have the brains to go to college, but it's out of my hands. It may not be the case, but we're looking at more than just a detention and an essay."

"That's totally unfair," Ryder responded, "I was just defending myself."

"Unfortunately the school board won't see it that way," Sue removed her glasses, "The district's new rule is totally against physical violence, especially when it leaves marks. They will say that your lack of verbal response, such as 'leave me alone,' or 'I don't want to fight,' shows that you were a more than willing participant, or that how you fought back quite brutally. Also frankly, I agree with the school board. You three are football players, I expect you to represent the school as the Cheerios and other groups do. I also immensely hate Glee club, so seeing one of you fall brings me a simple joy. Putting three young men into detention will show me off to the school board perfectly so that I may get Ohio's Principal of the Year. An equal punishment will be given out to all of you. JUDITH!"

The receptionist jumped up.

"Get the yellow slips!" Sue demanded, "Bring me three."

Judith did as asked before scurrying back to the safety of her desk. Sue pulled out a pen, writing each of their names and details on the yellow pages. It was simple- they were the punishment slips, anything written and signed made them official. Right now, each of the teenagers felt fear at the thought of a suspension. College was right around the corner; any punishment this severe could cost them their places and scholarships. Each of them squirmed in their chairs.

"This isn't fair," Bobby protested, "I have a wrestling scholarship, I could lose this!"

"You made the choice to use your power outside the wrestling ring, no one else," Beiste interrupted, "Yes the punishment is a bit much, but you punched Ryder unprovoked."

"He called me a sack of shit!"

"Whilst I disagree with Ryder's language," Will sauntered forward, "You did make crude comments about his girlfriend- I think he has a right to be a little annoyed by that. Ryder made a comment, but you used your firsts in order to take things up a notch. That being said, Sue, is there not something you can do? Ryder, Bobby and Phil are all seniors with college coming up. Suspension won't do anything- Bobby and Phil will continue to bully and to be rude about women. It certainly won't do anything for Ryder; it could ruin his college prospects in fact. Don't let your petty hatred of the Glee club get in the way of a young man's life."

"To quote my irresponsible predecessor, my hands are tied William," Sue shrugged, "Mr. Lipoff, what say you about this? I like to see children pleading."

"It was a stupid fight, no need for a suspension," Phil shrugged, "I'm not risking my college career fighting some idiot teammate."

"Nice one," Bobby muttered under his breath, "But yeah Phil's right. I'm not letting my best friend get the rap for this and I sure as hell aren't getting crap for it either. Lynn started it by insulting me, I'm not taking that."

"He talked crap about Becca, I won't apologise for taking him down for that. I insulted him, but he punched me," Ryder glared at the blond, "I wasn't gonna hit him."

"Bullcrap," Bobby laughed, "You were ready to lamp me one for that!"

Sue looked between them all, clearly not impressed by anything they'd said, "You three have more brawn than brains, that's for sure. Even my dumbest Cheerio could outsmart you, and she's a real idiot. Now, what do my underlings think I should do?"

"Detention," Beiste, Emma and Mr. Schue replied in perfect synchronisation, before Beiste took the lead, "Each of these three is under my care in the football team and I see it as dispute in that respect, so I feel like I can take this. Ryder gets one day of after-school detention- though I don't believe he should be punished for self-defence- whilst Bobby and Phil get two weeks, as well as writing an essay on respect. The three will also be running laps for the rest of their high school lives."

"I think suspension is unfair, on all of them," Mr. Schue added, "What Bobby and Phil did was very wrong, but we've never done suspensions for fighting before and there's no need to start now. It won't solve anything and I don't believe in ruining their college chances for this."

"Will's right," Emma nodded, "I've seen that suspension can seriously ruin college chances in their infancy, especially for violence like this. Now if it's a serious suspension- for things like sexual assault and repeated violent attacks, then I think it's justified, however, I don't think it's fair in this case. Detention, essay and apologies are the only thing necessary. Punishing them like this won't do anything; we need to tackle the root cause of the bullying to nip it in the bud. Kids will still bully and fight after suspension, we need to take a look at why they're bullying and take better steps to help victims. The school board is wrong here."

"Fine, taken into consideration," Sue clicked her pen, "So let's start with detention..."

Before she could say anymore, the outermost office door banged open and a small blonde force of fury named Becca Hamilton came rushing in.

"You don't have an appointment!" Judith yelled after her, in a pleading tone that made it clear she didn't want Becca to cause any more trouble for the jittery, nervous secretary.

"I don't care," Becca snapped as she burst into the office, "This is bullshit!"

"Becca, language please," Will admonished lightly.

"Sorry," her apology was half-assed, "But this is utterly bull! There is no reason Ryder should be in here, Spencer told me what happened. He should not be punished for defending himself against an unprovoked physical attack or for defending me. Ryder should not be in here, the idea of him getting punished for this is just ridiculous. It's wrong, utterly wrong, God help me."

"I'm sorry Miss. Congeniality, but I don't think this concerns you," Sue glared at the Cheerio, "Now get back to whatever science class you have a hard on for, I need a student to get into Harvard. Shoo."

"You don't need to get involved, gorgeous," Ryder started to stand, but Becca fixed him a glare so fierce that it pushed him back in his seat.

"My application is sent, actually."

"I don't care about that, Miss. Hamilton. My punishment of your boyfriend is perfectly legitimate, he was in a fight and McKinley High doesn't tolerate that. So whatever angry comment you have for that, you can shove it up your perky little behind. I assure you that Mr. Lipoff and Mr. Surette will also be punished."

"Damn right they are, attacking Ryder;" Becca whirled around to look at them, "What the hell is wrong with you two idiots? First of all you make disgusting, degrading comments without my consent and in front of my boyfriend. I am sick of hearing you fawn all over me like I'm some kind of Dutch girl in a window, I have no interest in being alone with you. Any sex we had would probably short, boring and disappointing, kind of like your dicks. The only partner you deserve is your right hand. You're both ugly idiots with no self awareness and certainly no game. Bree will put out for nearly anyone but she'd rather screw a cactus than go anywhere near your clap ridden bodies. I warned you all in November what would happen if you screwed around with any girls in this school I would conjure up a storm. No longer will I pretend to care for Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dee. You can talk shit about me and I will tolerate it as much as I can, but I hear what you say about my girlfriends and I hate it. For the rest of high school, consider your sex life over because I will spread it around the school that no girl will ever be in fornicating distance of you. Also, you don't mess with my boyfriend either. Nobody messes with my boyfriend. He is twice the man you two losers will ever be. For what it's worth, Ryder and I have a great time together- he really knows how to please a girl. It's no wonder you guys don't sleep with the same girl twice, you'd have a half star Yelp review. I will deal with you properly later, but consider that your warning."

"Look Becs, we were only messing," Bobby started.

"Shut your trap Surette before I shut it for you," Becca snapped.

Bobby almost whimpered under her glare.

"Now Principal Sylvester, I don't want Ryder punished," Becca turned to the formidable former Cheerios coach.

"That's out of my hands lady," Sue put her palms up, "The school board dictates stronger punishments for violence. These three are looking at suspension for this under the new rules and you have helped them to get to that stage with your little temper tantrum."

"Suspension? Are you out of your mind?"

"You know I am Blondie, deal with it," Sue sent her a delicious smirk.

"I don't really think that's a good idea," Becca responded, her voice dangerously low.

"What exactly are you going to do about that?"

"Well for a start, I know several news outlets that will be _really_ interested in the lack of anti-bullying action at McKinley High. With all the high profile bullying cases, I'm sure that several reporters will be interested to learn how kids are shoved into lockers, thrown into dumpsters and having slushies thrown all over them. I know the school board has deemed slushies not to be weapons, but it's just a matter of time before some kid gets anaphylactic shock and dies. It's a lawsuit and moral indignity just waiting to happen. A school with a record breaking principal, an amazing cheerleading team and a girl who's on Broadway embroiled in such a scandal? It can be spun as favouring athletes or just favouring several people. Fox News, CNN, CBS, they can all come down and force a media storm. Hell, it'll be taken out of our hands because that's just how media is these days. I don't want to see a cheerleading legend like you go down, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles. Now, you can try to stop me but it won't work for you. I can turn on those waterworks."

She mimed tears.

"I'm just so upset for my friends. Principal Sylvester doesn't even encourage religious reconciliation- all the religious right groups will _love_ that. I'm dreaming of Harvard see, I don't think you want to alienate me or try to censor a sweet, religious girl who is a talented cheerleader, homeless volunteer and Ivy League hopeful. Oh, and I can really piss off the feminist groups as well by saying that overly crude sexual rhetoric towards girls is unchallenged. Now it's water off the duck's back for me, I can take stuff like that but you know the feminist media can really spin it. Imagine it, a female sporting and athletics pioneer being accused of that- I think that's really unfair. Also, I can implicate the school board with those stupid rules and they couldn't do a thing because they know they wouldn't be able to touch me. Schools like this bend all the time, you just have to search in Google for it. Again, I can just be the teary little cheerleader who only cares about all those around in her in Christian love. My grandpop is big in the Spokane religious and GOP arena, he can call up his congressman and it's sorted."

Sue went to speak, but Becca raised a hand.

"Oh, and one more thing. My church is looking to sponsor some school activities and I was hoping to recommend the Cheerios. It won't be til after I've graduated, but I really love me girls and want them to benefit. Thing is, they're not going to go for a school who let the bullied live in fear whilst not punishing the tormenters. If I was to, say, put in a good word, I'm sure things would go well for Cheerios. See, the church elders like me and they'll listen to me. I can easily say that we're a good group who stands for abstinence, charity and solidarity with each other; they love that kind of thing. My pastor would go for that easily; his niece is a cheerleader or something. I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news for them and let them send their money to Thurston High Cheerleaders. It could go that way, I don't want it to but it may have to."

She did a mocking little shrug.

"What exactly do you want?" Sue asked, glaring.

"It's simple really. Ryder doesn't get any trouble, no detention and definitely not a suspension. In return, I will talk you up valiantly to the church elders and ensure that the Cheerios get enough funding for two more confetti canons, megaphones and sparklier pom poms-perhaps even more. I'll throw in a call to the superintendent and ensure that you're up there for Ohio Principal of the Year."

"If I don't upheld my end of the bargain?"

"Then I will cause a bigger stink than the Great Stink of London. I will ignite everything from the open bullying to the administration turning a blind eye. Nothing will be held back, I will do everything in my power to make sure that this school gets a huge shake up. Now this is something I really, really don't want to do because I love this school so much and all my friends. The thing is, I will do anything to protect Ryder from unjust punishment. I will walk away unscathed by playing the sweet cheerleader whistleblower, whilst I watch everything else burn to the ground. I can play these games and I can win. Try me Sue."

There was an intake of breath from several people present at Becca calling the fearsome principal by her first name.

"You know Blondie," Sue regarded her, "I never thought you had the balls of Quinn Fabray or Santana Lopez, you always struck me as too soft for me to really admire. However, you have somewhat impressed me today with your quick thinking and outright boldness. I could still cut you down and enjoy it, but I will admit when I'm impressed. You have yourself a deal."

She stuck out a hand, Becca shaking it.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Principal Sylvester," Becca smirked.

"You better deliver my confetti canons Blondie or I'm going to make your life a living hell. You're yet to prove that you're actually of more use than making me look good having a Harvard student. I also still don't like you very much."

"I can somehow deal with that."

"Are you going to add these two into your deal?" Sue asked as she cocked her head towards Bobby and Phil.

"I don't care about these clowns," Becca glanced at them, arms folded, "Usually I'd throw them a bone, but they beat up my boyfriend so I'm fine with throwing them to the wolves."

Sue nodded, "Good. Mr. Lipoff, Mr. Surette I will save your suspension, but you have two weeks of after-school detention."

"You two will also be suspended from the next two games," Beiste added, "I will also be overseeing you writing an essay on teamwork and respect."

"Fantastic, I will write up the slips. Now get out, all of you."

Everyone scrambled out, Bobby and Phil almost running to their class. As soon as they were out of the door, Becca rushed into Ryder's arms and he spun her around.

"Becs you were amazing...incredible even. The way you kept your cool, all the stuff you said, I was just in awe. You really didn't have to do that for me, Sylvester could have kicked you off the squad or given you a punishment, and it was all so risky."

"Ryder, I would do absolutely anything for you, you know that," she touched his cheek, "I wasn't going to let you get in trouble for defending yourself. You also defended me from those stupid comments; it was so sweet of you to do that to defend my honour. Cheerios, detention, that means nothing compared to having you."

Ryder was simply touched by his girlfriend. People were jealous because she was so beautiful and popular, but they didn't know the true loyalty and supportive nature that she was so quick to show. He looked at her earnest blue eyes and knew that he really, really loved her. Marley, Unique and everyone else was in the past. This sweet girl would have done anything for him in there and it just made his heart swell. God, he really loved her.

"You're the best Becs, you really are."

"I know babe, always for you."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too," she replied, leaning up to start a passionate kiss.

"Ahem," they were interrupted by the forced cough of Coach Beiste, "I know you two are happy, but this isn't the time. Class, for both of you. Now!"

They mumbled an apology and a goodbye; taking each other's hand and heading off, Ryder telling Becca he would walk her to class.

"Er, Ryder," Will called.

They both turned around.

"I believe your class is in the other direction," Will pointed to the other side of the corridor with his thumb.

"I was just...never mind," Ryder responded, seeing Will's face, "I'll meet you at your locker after last period."

Becca nodded, "Enjoy class, text me if you need anything. Love you handsome."

"Love you more gorgeous."

A quick peck on the lips and a lingering glance, and the pair were headed their separate directions. Beiste, Will and Emma stopped to watch them.

"Was I the only one who found that more entertaining than anything that happens in the staff room?" Beiste asked.

"No," Emma shook her head, "That was something else...what people do for love, huh?"

"What people do for love," Mr. Schue agreed.

 **Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed it, seeing Becca's fierce and protective side.**

 **Next Time: It's Ryder and Becca's one year anniversary.**

 **Thanks again, don't forget to review and see you next time xxx**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER**

 **Thank you for all your support so far. Sorry that it's not as good a chapter as the others, but I think the one year anniversary is a very important part of the relationship and I wanted to have a chapter with only Ryder and Becca in it to ensure that we have some proper focus on their relationship. It's only a filler chapter; I promise that things will improve after this. Please don't forget to review to tell me what you think xxx**

 **I've also started an SYOC. Applications are over, but I'm happy for you to enjoy my other Glee work.**

 **Chapter 11**

Ryder looked at the clock.

In a matter of minutes, Becca would arrive at the house. One year ago today, the pair went on their first date and now were celebrating their anniversary. Ryder managed to clear the house out, with his parents staying at some friends' house a few towns away and Liv at a sleepover, leaving him and Becca alone to spend the night together. He had offered to cook, which had come down to chicken breasts and fries. Still, he wasn't exactly Julia Childs so he wasn't entirely sure Becca wouldn't come down with food poisoning.

He still couldn't believe it had been a year since they got together. He knew high school relationships often didn't last, but they'd survived everything else that had felled many other couples. Neither had cheated, there were no pregnancy scares or scary exes. Ryder still couldn't understand how people cheated, like when Jake had an affair with Bree because Marley wouldn't put out. Simply put, Becca was his universe and the idea of going off with someone else horrified him. He didn't want to be with anyone else, Becca was the perfect girl for him, he couldn't imagine making her cry. Seeing her made his heart beat a thousand miles an hour, she just lit up his life. God, he really loved her. Ryder knew that whatever happened to their relationship, if they stayed the distance or broke up over summer, she'd still hold the largest part of his heart anyone ever would. He couldn't imagine falling in love with someone else like he'd fallen for her.

Getting her present was difficult. Becca had told him not to get anything major, as Valentine's Day and her birthday were little over a month away. Ryder ignored her, deciding to get a couple of things that she could love. It had been hard, finding something absolutely perfect but after weeks of searching he found what he was looking for. He'd even wrapped them himself, despite Jessica begging to so that they looked 'presentable' for Becca. Sure it was a little messy with cellotape in all the wrong places, but at least it was done.

He heard the doorbell ring. A giant smile on his face, he rushed to get it.

Ryder nearly ripped open the door off his hinges. Becca smirked at the other end, knowing that she had the desired effect. He nearly drooled at the sight of her. Her signature high pony was out of the question, replaced with tousled curls that would have probably taken a while to do. She was clad in a bodycon that showed off her slim body (and assets), leather jacket and heels that showed off her long legs. Make up was done perfectly, her lips a sultry red. Ryder could feel himself get...excited.

"Hi honey, someone's excited to see me."

"Yeah...yeah I am..."

"Are you going to let me in or am I going to shiver on your doorstep?"

Ryder moved back, indicating to her bag, "As far as I'm aware you're staying for a night, we're not doing two weeks in Spain."

Becca rolled her eyes, "Shut up and kiss me Lynn."

Ryder moved closer, the two passionately making out in front of the door. Their hands roamed all over the other person, keeping it intense for a long time.

"You look absolutely gorgeous Becs, you always do but you really do this time. I think maybe it's the day that makes you glow."

"You're a smoothie," Becca rolled her eyes, "Look what I brought."

Opening up a paper bag, she pulled out a bottle of wine, "Bordeaux's finest. My dear pimply friend was serving so no chance of me being ID'd, but I'm still 22 according to my fake. I thought we could celebrate over a tipple- not too much though, because tonight means sex and I don't want either of us drunk as a skunk going at it."

"Nice job," Ryder kissed her head, "C'mon, let me take your bag upstairs and I'll get the food on."

"Thank you my Prince Charming, I'll be waiting."

Ryder took Becca's bag- which weighed a tonne- before going back downstairs to start with the cooking. The blonde had turned the radio and was dancing along to it, singing loudly and shaking her hips to the beat. Ryder smiled, leaning against the door frame. After he watched for a while, he went to turn on the frying pan.

"May I have this dance my lady?" he asked as the chicken pieces sizzled.

"You may sir."

The pair danced happily in the kitchen, spinning each other around and lifting each other in the air. Well, Ryder pulled Becca up with ease; the blonde didn't have the same luck with her boyfriend. They were so busy dancing with one another that they paid no attention to the food until Becca stopped, sniffing the air.

"Does that smell like burning to you?"

They turned around just in time to see the food burst into flames. It was so sudden that Becca let out a scream, jumping backwards. Ryder rushed into action, grabbing a tea towel and trying to batter the flames down. In a stroke of quickness, Becca filled up a cup of water and poured it all over the flames. They immediately went out, though smoke still filled the kitchen.

Turning off the top, Ryder looked at Becca.

"Frozen pizza?" she suggested.

"Frozen pizza," he agreed, going to get it from the freezer.

Becca threw the chicken pieces in the bin and washed out the pan with cold water. The two busied themselves, though it was fairly easy to do pizza and fries. After twenty minutes, everything was sorted, Becca pouring the wine.

"Want to say grace Becca?"

The blonde nodded, doing the sign of the cross, "Be present at our table Lord. Be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless and grant that we may feast in fellowship with Thee. Amen."

"Amen. Let's eat."

"I can't believe it's been a year," Becca sipped her drink, "It seems like two minutes since we started dating, a year just seems so insane. Like, I never thought we'd be here, not that I thought we wouldn't last, it was just like getting to the point of dating. I didn't think you'd like me back but when you asked me out, that's when everything changed. We've been together for a year, which is pretty good in high school. No drama apart from like a five day long argument, we've done well. Here's to a year of a phenomenal relationship."

"Cheers," Ryder clinked her glass with his, "To a perfect year with the girl I love the most in the world."

"Love you too dork," she smiled, "This pizza is great."

"As great as it is for frozen pizza, I agree."

"You know what my favourite part of our relationship is?" Becca asked.

"Indulge me."

"When you told me you love me for the first time. It made me feel so warm and special inside because I know that I truly felt the same way," Becca reminisced with a smile, "It was just the best moment of all."

"For me, it was our first time."

"Typical man, all about sex."

"Well, the sex is obviously amazing but it was more than that. For a start, it was the first time I'd ever been intimate and considering how hard the babysitter thing hit me, I never thought I'd be able to do it so soon. Then I fall for a beautiful girl and get to lose my virginity to her. It was a really great experience, not only because we had a great time, but because it was with someone I really care about. I felt normal for the first time since it happened. Having my first time be both actually amazing and with someone I love is incredibly lucky."

 _Flashback_

 _The sun blazed on Lima on the warm sunny day. After a day in the park, Ryder and Becca had returned home to his house. The two were making out on his bed, not an unusual occurrence. His hands were running through her hair, her lips pressing against his skin._

" _We should go further."_

 _Becca pulled away, "Babe, we've had this conversation..."_

" _Becs, I want to."_

" _I don't want to force you into something you're not ready for. Everyone should be ready for their first time."_

" _No, I'm ready for this. We've been together for six months and I love you. We've been honest with each other and being with you made me realise that I won't live my life being held back by an experience that was out of my control and not my fault. I don't want to be going through life without having sexual encounters when I want to and like other people are. Me and you, we're perfect together. I want to lose my virginity, and I want to lose my virginity to you. If this is my first time, then I want it to be with you."_

 _Becca smiled down at him, "Ok."_

" _Ok," Ryder nodded back._

" _I have a condom if you need it," Becca told him as she went towards her bag._

" _You're alright thanks; I have one in my drawer."_

" _Brilliant, let's do this."_

 _Beginning with a passionate kiss, the two began to have sex with each other for the very first time._

 _End of flashback_

"Damn, you even have to spin that into romance," Becca shook her head, "It was pretty great though. I mean, I don't regret being with Kyle but I do wish my first time had been with you instead. It meant I had more experience to bring to it, but I think having both of us lose our virginity to each other instead would have been better. Sex is better with you anyway."

"It would have been nice, but it doesn't matter," Ryder shrugged, "We both get to be with each other and that's awesome. We both found our way to each other, that's the main thing. Yeah, the sex is pretty incredible though. I think you being a cheerleader definitely helps things."

Becca winked at him, "Well babe, tonight is a night that you will never forget."

" _Tonight's gonna be a good good night,"_ Ryder sang, "I can't wait to give you your gift."

"You know I'm really curious to know what you've got me."

"You'll love it Becs, I promise."

They continued to eat, laughing and joking as always.

Becca still couldn't get her head around the fact it was her one year anniversary with Ryder. She really did love him, she was lucky that they were together. It was the way he looked at her, that was what she loved the most. His eyes went all warm and mushy, with a delicate look that told her he was going to be with her always. Every day she would feel joy wash over her when Ryder joined her in the corridor, an arm around her shoulder or a hand in hers. She could hug him tightly and feel like all the pain of the world would go away. His touch could make her weak at the knees. No man would compare.

Ryder told terrible jokes, he wasn't smooth and he wasn't always confident, but it was part of the charm. She didn't want someone who acted as though they were already perfect and that they had the right to win her over. Becca loved that he was a dork because he balanced her out, made her into a calmer, cooler person. One of the jerk jocks wouldn't have been good for her. Everytime she looked at him, her heart skipped a beat. God had rewarded her for being a good person, she knew it- He had allowed her to find someone that she was truly content with as a well done for following His word. Becca believed in soulmates, even though the Bible said nothing about it. She didn't know if she and Ryder would make it past graduation, what with them probably going to college across the country from each other, but she still felt he was the one person she would always love. Even if she married someone else in the future, he would always be the first love and perhaps the strongest.

She prayed for him every night, like she did for everyone else. She prayed for everyone- for health and happiness; for Spencer to be accepted in his sexuality and never be victimised for it; for Katie to always be kind and loved; for Bree to continue to grow and for Ryder to overcome his past experiences in order to make his life whole.

Becca took Ryder's hand in hers, pulling it up and kissing his raw knuckles. He smiled back, kissing her temple and resting his head on the top of hers.

"I'll clear these up, dessert?"

Becca nodded, "That'd be great, what have we got?"

"The brownies from Baker's Delights."

"Ooh, they're my favourite," Becca clapped her hands.

"They're like heaven baked into a brownie," Ryder agreed, bringing them on a table, "You know how people say who deserves to live forever? Some say Stan Lee, others say Grumpy Cat. I say eternal life should be bestowed upon whoever bakes these brownies because these are the best things I've ever tasted. If every other store in Lima goes bust, Baker's Delights will go on forever. Not even an apocalypse could tear that down, there would be like a queue of skeletons waiting. Twenty people were in front of me when I was buying these bad boys."

"Well it was so worth it because I'm sure that God above has made this beautiful slice," Becca replied, mouth full, "Holy crap this is good."

"I know," Ryder replied, mouth full also.

"How the hell did you eat that in _three_ bites?"

"I have a big mouth Becs, that's done well for you so far."

"Shut it," Becca slapped his side, "Oh God I am stuffed. Shall we rest for five minutes?"

"Yeah, good idea."

The two lay back against their chairs, patting their stomachs. Ryder went to put everything in the dishwasher before holding out his hand for Becca to take.

She took the hand, following him upstairs into his room. The house was strangely quiet without the Lynns in the house. Ryder was so glad he'd managed to get them out of the house tonight; otherwise the pair would not be doing half of their planned activities. He knew that his folks were very aware of how special the night was. They adored Becca; he knew that- they loved her as a girl, but more so as a girl that could date that son. Well, Becca was the perfect type to bring home to your parents. Liv loved her as well; Becca had always been kind to her.

Becca fumbled in her bag for her package, Ryder getting it from his bedside. As soon as she was on the bed, Becca threw a large blanket around herself.

"You look like ET."

"Thanks babe," she responded, "God this blanket is comfortable, I feel like I'm in a bed with a thousand covers. I can't wait for summer to come along."

"Not cuddle weather though," Ryder corrected.

"True sweetie. Shall we exchange?"

Ryder nodded, passing over his present and Becca passing over hers.

"Jeez, you really did a number on the sticky tape."

"Yeah, I know. My mom was like 'Ryder, I can do it so it's all pretty, stick a bow and a nice tag on it.' Still, I insisted that I do it because it's my gift for you and I want to put my heart and soul in it. So yeah, good luck Becs."

"On three? One...two...three."

Ryder managed to rip open Becca's first, as hers was actually wrapped properly, with the blonde eventually managing to open hers.

For Becca, Ryder had got a songbird shaped necklace with lyrics from the song 'to you, I'll give the world.' In return, Ryder received a large box with a frame that could be put on the wall. Inside was a small Superman Lego toy and a comic book 'POW' drawn behind it. At the top, the words 'you will always be my Superman' were written.

"Oh Ryder it's so cute," she gushed, "I love it, it's so beautiful! Thank you so much."

"You're welcome...oof," Ryder was cut off when Becca leaned over and kissed him passionately, "Thank you Becs for yours, it's really sweet- I'm going to put it up tonight."

"Well you are my Superman, brave, loving and with more power than he believes."

"You're very sweet," Ryder went and played with her hair, "Well, like the necklace says, I want to give the world to you. I really do love you; you have just been the best girlfriend a guy could ask for. Being with you, it's just right you know? You've supported me through so much and always at my side. I've never questioned being with you, ever. I doubt I'll ever love anyone as much as you because you're the one who really holds my heart. You are more than just a 4.0, or Honour Roll, or your SAT scores. So the colleges receive your application. Grades are flawless, they can move onto the next sheet. They see a Cheerio, a charitable student who babysits and tutors others, helps out with dance, like you did in the school musical this year. Great, they say- they've seen how awesome you are, and an acceptance is on its way to your mailbox. But they don't see what I see, what everyone at McKinley does. When your mom isn't feeling well, you look after her- do the stretches with her, just so the pain goes away. When your dad is tired after work, you'll put dinner on; he won't even need to ask. Spencer is your best friend; you are such a great friend to him and to Bree too, and Aimee and Jordan, and everyone else. Look at how you are with Katie, she is going to grow up to be such a great student and cheerleader under you, you've made her become the girl she is today. Everyone at school- well, apart from Kitty but you know what she's like- loves you, you're the girl they all want to be, not just because you're the hot Cheerio who walks like she owns the place. They love you because you inspire them to be more than just who the world thinks they should be. Then there's me, the guy that is lucky enough to be yours. You could have your pick of the litter, yet you choose me. I love you with every piece of me. Yes, you're hot as anything, but I get more than that from you. I get a sweet, bright and fun girl who I just want to be around all the time. More than anything, I wish for another year of high school so I can just be with you and you only."

Becca immediately teared up.

"Dammit Ryder, you're going to ruin my makeup," she wiped her eyes.

"Sorry Becs, c'mere."

She lay against Ryder's chest as he stroked her hair.

"Did you hear about that guy downtown who stole a calendar?"

"No, what happened?"

"He got twelve months."

Becca rolled her eyes, but managed to bring a smile to her face despite the terrible pun. She looked up at him, "You know your jokes are so lame right?"

"Don't lie, I'm hilarious. I'm surprised you haven't suggested a photo yet."

Ryder knew Becca too well; she was a girl who liked her selfies. He found it easy to understand; Becca was a stunning girl and wanted to show herself off in pictures.

"Well now's the time," Becca flipped open her compact, checking to see if her mascara had smudged.

Taking out her phone and handing it to Ryder, the two took a number of selfies. Some were sweet ones with Becca's head on Ryder's shoulder or him kissing her cheek, whilst others were just of them doing silly faces. The two selected the ones they liked.

"What shall I put as a caption?" Becca asked.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters; a good caption makes a post. Now, I know."

Quickly typing, she showed Ryder ' _One year with the amazing ryder_lynn. He may have burned the chicken, but it's a perfect anniversary. Love him 3.'_

"Perfect babe," Ryder kissed her cheek, "I think we're gonna get a lot of likes, you have more than a few followers."

"With great power comes great responsibility. Might do some song lyrics for the Twitter caption," Becca mused, " _It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you."_

" _There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do,"_ Ryder continued, "Gimme a sec, I'll give us a beat."

Heading off the bed, he went to his drum kit and began the start to the song. Becca lying on the sheets, the two joined in a duet of the classic song. Ryder grinned as he bashed the drums, craning his head slightly so that he could see Becca playfully singing along, arms waving in the air. He couldn't hide the delighted smile on his face, she looked so happy doing it.

Ryder started it up:

 _I hear the drums echoing tonight_

 _But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation_

 _She's coming in, 12:30 flight_

 _The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation_

Becca then jumped in with her sweet voice.

 _I stopped an old man along the way_

 _Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies_

 _He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"_

Ryder did the heavy drum beat and they started the chorus together.

 _It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you_

 _There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _Gonna take some time to do the things we never had_

 _The wild dogs cry out in the night_

 _As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company_

 _I know that I must do what's right_

 _As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti_

 _I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become_

 _It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you_

 _There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _Gonna take some time to do the things we never had_

 _Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you_

 _It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you_

 _There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _(I bless the rain)_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _(I bless the rain)_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _I bless the rains down in Africa_

 _(Ah, gonna take the time)_

 _Gonna take some time to do the things we never had_

When it was over, Becca clapped enthusiastically.

"If the business degree goes nowhere, I think we might have a rock star on our hands."

"It's more likely I'll get to be a rock star than use my degree in this economy, but thank you," Ryder leaned in to kiss Becca. It quickly got more passionate, the two moving backwards onto the bed. Without a word uttered between them, they began to take each other's clothes off. Ryder awkwardly fumbled with the back of Becca's dress, causing the blonde to laugh and help him out.

"Condom, condom," Ryder muttered, pulling his arm from around Becca and reaching into his cabinet, "You ready to go Becs?"

"Of course I am."

For a couple of hours- having teenage stamina helped- the two enjoyed the passion. Becca loved the feeling of Ryder against her, the sweet kisses against her neck and his hands running through her hair. There was nothing better than the feeling of being with him, just the two of them having sex. Plus, he was very satisfying in that department.

Ryder loved having Becca with him like this, hearing her sweet voice in his ear. He could listen to it all day.

Becca rolled over on her back, pulling the sheets up over her body so that she was covered. Ryder did the same, also panting.

"God I'm sweaty," she moaned, "Right, I need to go pee don't I? I'll put the shower on; call you in when I'm done on the toilet."

"Thanks babe."

Becca pulled Ryder's t-shirt on and went off to the bathroom. Once the shower was on, she called Ryder in. They kissed happily underneath the dancing warm water, Becca using Jessica's expensive shower gel on her body (it smelled perfect). She laughed as Ryder blew some bubbles on her face before making a moustache with them.

"You look like the Pringle can guy," she giggled.

"Wow, aren't you a real doll?"

"Just telling it how it is," she leaned in for a wet kiss, "Come on, we should get out now."

"It's warm though," Ryder pouted.

"Well I thought we could raid your cookie tin, cuddle up and watch videos of people falling over."

"I can show you a thread I read about the funniest injuries, it's really hilarious."

"Bingo," Becca tapped his nose, "C'mon."

They exited the shower, Becca taking Ryder's shirt and putting it on.

"Do you not have your own night stuff?"

"I knew that if I didn't bring some, I'd have to borrow your shirt," she smirked, clearly knowing exactly what she was doing, "I mean, I couldn't exactly sleep in anything less, it's really cold."

"You could sleep in your birthday suit."

"You are so awful Ryder Lynn," Becca shook her head, "Awful. I may get cuddles, but it is still January and in case you didn't know, January is a very cold month."

"Well you're going to have to get used to it Becs. Boston winters are very cold with a lot of snow, learning to wrap up warm is something you need when you get to Harvard."

"There's no guarantee that I'll get in."

"You will; you're a teen genius. I'll get my winter coats ready for when I come visit you."

Becca made a face, "I am not having the college conversation with you on our anniversary. This day should be about presents, sex, cuddles, reminiscing and watching people get wacked in their private areas by planks. Now, you go get the laptop ready with hilarious _America's Funniest Home Videos_ and I will bring us enough cookies to keep our bellies full tonight."

"You know how to charm me, don't you?"

"It's why you love me honey."

Ryder did as asked, Becca returning with a tin of cookies. She went to put her hair up in a bun for bed, but stopped when Ryder started looking her like a sad puppy.

"You want to play with my hair, don't you?"

He nodded at her, making a strange sound. Becca put her hair band on her wrist and lay against Ryder's chest, ready to watch.

GROW APART-

The hours started ticking by, but it was only after Becca let out a giant yawn that both realised it was probably wise to go to bed. They'd spent hours watching hilarious videos, with Becca crying with laughter at the thread Ryder had told her about with the funny injuries. Both of them had belly aches from laughing so hard, gasping for air as humour took over them.

"We should get some sleep I guess," Ryder turned off his laptop.

"Yeah good idea," Becca yawned again, "I'm putting my hair up by the way, no amount of puppy eyes can stop me."

"Fine, I'll take it out when you fall asleep though."

"Ooh, you're a brave man," Becca teased, wrestling her blankets away from Ryder, who pulled them back, "You know I love warm blankets."

"You're in my bed, tough it up."

She rolled her eyes but gave in. Ryder turned off the lamp before settling down to let Becca cuddle into him. She kissed his chest with a smile, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Night Becs, I love you."

"Love you more."

With their anniversary over, the two descended into a blissful sleep.

 **Chapter 11 is done! I hope you enjoyed the Ryder/Becca romance. I want it to be a good, loving relationship as opposed to more angsty fics with drama and teaching.**

 **Next Time: Becca faces her Harvard interview, a chapter in which I will reveal the inner workings of her mind and what makes her tic. This will lead into a mini arc revolving around college applications for an intelligent, ambitious but slightly perfectionist student.**

 **I have a general draft of what's to come for the story, but I still have a few chapters blank. If you have any specific requests- characters you'd like to see, storylines or anything else, then either add it into the review or DM me with anything. I would appreciate it very much.**

 **Thanks again, I can't wait to see you all for Chapter 12 xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks for the support so far, I love it xxx**

 **Don't forget to check out my other Glee story, 'A New Dawn.'**

 **Chapter 12**

"Hello I'm Rebecca Hamilton; hi I'm Rebecca Hamilton..."

Becca stared at herself in the mirror. Today was her Harvard interview, aka the most nerve wrecking day of the entire year after the day she'd find out if she got in or not. Knowing she'd be unable to rest the night before, she'd taken a sleeping pill which had worked as she'd basically knocked herself out. After breakfast, she'd gotten ready, deciding on dark trousers, a white shirt and black blazer matched with slight heels. Her cross necklace remained firmly clasped against her chest and she wore the earrings her aunt (Mona's sister Janet, not Wendy) had got her for her sixteenth birthday.

Going down on her knees against her bed, she clasped her hands together in prayer, reciting Isaiah:

"So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand."

Doing the sign of the cross, she grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs. As soon as she had arrived down the stairs, her parents came out of the living room.

"Here's our little Harvard superstar," Andrew trilled, "In August we'll be flying you to Massachusetts."

"It's just an interview daddy."

"An interview that is gonna show that interviewer that my little girl is perfect Harvard material," Mona cooed, squishing her daughter's face between my hands, "Now remember how we practiced darling. Talk about Cheerios, the volunteering and the tutoring the most, make it sound super special. Be friendly, but not too open; make sure to show as much interest in the interviewer as they do in you. The online handbook for Ivy League parents said to ensure that you ask questions at the end, don't eat anything that requires you to look messy and remember to look at them directly. It's a good idea that you're going on your own, it makes you look independent and not one of those children with helicopter parents. You look so pretty as well, great idea with the outfit. We're going to be praying for you all afternoon. When you come home, we're going to celebrate nicely."

"We really don't have to do that mom, like I said, it's just an interview."

"Well it's a big day sweetie," Andrew smiled, "You're going to get all your places, ten for ten. On the zero percent chance that you don't get into Harvard, you have such an amazing choice of schools to go to. Fingers crossed you'll get a scholarship, I can use your college fund to buy a boat."

"Don't be ridiculous Andrew- you don't need a boat," Mona slapped his arm.

"I'm joking Mona."

Becca, no fool she, had decided to apply for as many scholarships as she could, which meant that she was up to her neck in essays and applications. She'd tried everything- cheerleading, Christian, gender, STEM, you name it, she'd applied. If she got into Ohio State she had a cheerleading scholarship (God bless Sue Sylvester), but that was lower down on her list of schools. She figured that even if it was just $1000 dollars to help with her accommodation in her freshman year, it was something. Becca didn't want her parents blowing out their back paying for her college, especially with years of grad school after, but she was also pragmatic in that she didn't want student loans haunting her when she was trying to rent or get on the property ladder.

Spencer was lucky; he already had a full ride planned out. It had only been a few days since National Signing Day, where he had officially committed to the University of Massachusetts Minutemen to play collegiate football. He was never going to worry about money, considering everyone was sure he'd be in the NFL the minute he got out of college.

"I've got to go now, I'll be late," Becca stated.

"Good luck sweetie," Mona threw her arms around her only child, "You're going to do great. Just be yourself."

Andrew stepped forward, extending a hand.

"Daddy, we've practiced my handshake a million times this week," Becca rolled her eyes.

"A good handshake is important Becca," he admonished.

"Ugh fine," Becca took the hand offered, shaking it in return.

"Good girl, very firm with a good grip. Make sure you don't break their hand or be too weak."

"Of course."

"Break a leg you'll be fine," Andrew kissed her cheek.

Becca wished them a goodbye before skipping down the steps to her car.

The drive to the coffee shop felt like she was driving to her own funeral. Nothing in her life had been more nerve wrecking than this moment, not even the flight to Lima or her first day at McKinley. She had the radio on in the background, but wasn't even listening to whatever song was on. The only thing keeping her in the zone was the fact she was driving and she really didn't fancy crashing on her way to a major college interview. As she tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, she noticed with a smile that it was exactly the way that Ryder said that she did it.

God she didn't want to let any of them down.

It wasn't a long journey to the cafe on the outskirts of town (she'd chosen that over the Lima Bean so she wouldn't run into someone she knew), but by God it felt like the green mile. Every stop light seemed to be red when she approached it, her teeth grinding together in annoyance.

Finally she arrived in the parking lot, twenty minutes before she was supposed to arrive. Opening the mirror in front of her, she licked her tongue against her teeth to take away from the red lipstick that had clung to it. Heart beating rapidly against her chest, she decided that the safest bet was to take a selfie, something normal that would keep her focused. She could think of how many likes she would get or something.

Posing, she heard the camera click and decided on the first photo, a strange occurrence for her.

 _Harvard interview in a few minutes, wish me luck xxx_

Clicking send on her Facebook (mainly for her grandparents), Instagram and Twitter, she decided that enough time had lapsed for her to go in. It would look good if she was a little early. Taking a deep breath, she said another little prayer before exiting the car. Clutching her bag close to her side, she heard her heels click against the pavement.

Entering the coffee shop, her eyes were immediately drawn towards a middle aged woman in a business suit, reading some notes. The woman looked up at Becca, who approached her like a deer in headlights.

"Rebecca Hamilton?"

"Yes hello," Becca stuck out a hand, "Nice to meet you."

"A pleasure, I'm Genevieve Taylor. Will you be getting a drink?"

"Yes, won't be a moment."

Becca was shaking like a leaf as she ordered her iced latte.

"Important conversation?" the barista asked as she rung up Becca's order.

"It's my Harvard interview."

"Wow, that is important," the barista replied as Becca paid, "Good luck, I'll bring your coffee over for you in a minute."

"Thank you," Becca smiled, returning to the seat.

Sitting across from Genevieve, she waited nervously as the redhead shifted through her notes. Finally, she talked.

"A bit about me first, my name is Genevieve Taylor, I got my BA then my MA in Economics, and I graduated in 1985. With economics I'm probably not going to know too much about your science degree, but I hope that I can make the best of it. Now Rebecca, do you go for Becca or Becky or any nickname?"

"Becca please, Ms. Taylor."

"There's no need for formalities, Becca, Genevieve is just fine. Now, the interview will take roughly 45 minutes, but no need to worry if it's longer or shorter than that, sometimes it just flows a little differently. I will ask you questions for the majority of it, so please wait until the very end if you have anything to ask me. Now, the first question: why Harvard?"

"I know that Harvard is the best and I think that if I can go for the best, why not?" Becca shrugged, "Ever since my dad told me what the Ivy League was when I was five, I just knew that's the place I wanted to be. When you look at the labs, the professors, the experiences and everything else, it's just the place to be. No other place in the world can offer me, or anyone else, what Harvard can. I also really help that I can give something to Harvard in return, whether it's just the sweat off of my brow or a new perspective on a scientific case. Boston itself is also such a vibrant city, there's so much culture and entertainment to be excited about. When I think of me there in the New England winter, it gives me such a tingle thinking about it. It's something I can feel in my bones, as weird as that sounds. I just really want to go."

"You plan to study molecular and cellular biology?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I love how tiny parts of our bodies can be so influential, things so tiny you can barely see on a microscope. They're a major part of us, cells and molecules can just unlock so much. Looking at them, it's just an incredible science. They're the secret to creating medicines, curing diseases and learning more about the human body. All I want to do in life is use that love for science to help people, I think it's a great way to make things better for humanity. Biology has always been a subject I dearly love; doing it makes so much sense for me."

"What is your backup if you don't pursue that major?"

"Likely chemical biology, it's probably the one that I would have gone for had I not gone down the route of molecular and cellular biology. I really enjoy chemistry, so that would be a significant factor."

Genevieve nodded.

"Ok so I've got your grades here. 2380 on your SATs and 5s on all your AP classes, that's rare. Well no complaints about that, so let's move onto your extracurriculars. What struck me as particularly odd is that you were made co-captain of your cheerleading squad when you had just arrived at McKinley at the start of your junior year. I have to say, I really wonder how you did that."

"Well, I was pretty surprised at the start. Our principal is the former cheer captain and she still holds the purse strings, so she always shakes things up. A few years ago they made a freshman captain. According to her, they wanted someone to counter-balance their current cheer captain and also needed someone to make them look academically. I admit that I was nervous at first, I thought that I may mess it up, but I feel it might be a testament to myself that I still remain co-captain as we speak."

Genevieve nodded, "Ok, that's understandable, some are like that. Now you mainly do cheerleading, tutoring, academic competitions and volunteering for the homeless. Why don't you walk me through these and why you've focused on them?"

"Well cheerleading is easy," Becca smiled, "I took dance classes as a child and I was always pretty good with gymnastics, it was a natural step. My middle school had a dance squad that was basically cheerleading, and then I joined cheer when I was in high school. I really love it, I really do. People say it's not a sport, but there's such an adrenaline and danger when you're being tossed up in the air or you're doing a really tricky stunt. There's such a comradery, you have to trust your cheerleaders because if they mess up, you can get injured. I've got such a close bond with so many of my girls; they were some of the first to welcome me into the fold at McKinley. Tutoring is something I chose to do as a job due to its flexibility. My education is always the most important thing but I still wanted a job to keep myself financially independent. Tutoring tends to be something I can do on my own time, plus I love seeing the kids I tutor growing and learning. When they come to me with an A on a really important test or when they finally figure out something they've been struggling with, the smile on their face is just absolutely beautiful."

Taking a breath, she sipped her coffee.

"Academic competitions are another simple one, it's purely to expand my mind and let me show off knowledge. I also really like the prepping, especially when I'm working with people that I usually don't, it's an invaluable team building exercise. Volunteering started when I saw something on TV about homeless people when I was younger. I thought that it was really tragic, especially in a first world country such as the USA, so I started doing whatever I could. When I was in high school, my parents thought that I was old enough to be allowed to volunteer in the shelters. I feel very strongly about charity, the Bible is very clear about giving and I believe that it allows me to be closer to God. My church is excellent with these kinds of projects, I'm very proud to be part of it."

It was a risky move, mentioning religion in a college interview but Becca was one to be very proud of being Christian.

Finally, Genevieve let out a proper smile.

"Which church are you?"

"United Methodist."

"That's the same as my family growing up," Genevieve smiled, "We used to go every Sunday but I'm afraid I've been somewhat lacking with my church attendance as I've gotten older."

"It doesn't make you any less of a Christian; people should worship in their own ways without judgement."

"I agree," Genevieve nodded, "Did you ever feel as though you could have done more in the extracurricular department?"

Damn, the first curveball.

"Well," Becca bit her lip, "I didn't want to do things that I'm not properly interested in just to pad out my college application. I could not imagine doing a sport, playing an instrument etc just to fill out some space on a piece of paper. If I did too much, I wouldn't have time to be myself or hang out with my friends. Focusing keenly on a few things allows me to grow so much more and involve myself more. These are all things that I walk into knowing that I will put one hundred percent in and receive one hundred percent in return."

On her pad, Genevieve scribbled down 'does fewer activities but with more focus on them. Well rounded without adding unnecessary extras.'

"Excellent. What do you for fun?"

"I love horror themed stuff, especially movies, the gorier the better. My best friend and I watch them all the time, we also like to go to haunted houses and ghost walks. There are some beautiful trails near here, I like going walking there with my boyfriend having a picnic. I like to read too, go out to coffee with my friends and go to the mall for more casual social occasions."

"What are you reading at the moment?"

" _Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Woman of DNA_. It's a biography of her."

"What's your favourite book?"

"My favourite is _American Psycho."_

"That's quite a controversial book," Genevieve commented, "People say it's overly graphic and glorifies violence towards women. What do you say about that?"

"Yes, it's quite graphic in its depiction of rape, torture and murder but that's part of our culture now. It's a book about a serial killer, not about a princess or a unicorn; it's not going to be a particularly pleasant read. These things exist in this world, turning on the news or finding the darkest part of YouTube can reveal all sorts of horrific things. There's no need to complain or censor it because that's just controlling what people have access to. Some people can easily think up such horrible things without having it written in front of them. Nobody has to read the book. Those who are offended believe that they are right- opinions are not facts, they are easily subjective. As for the glorification of violence, I refer you to my previous answer as to the contents of the book. Many pieces of literature include violence towards groups. In no way does it say that what Bateman does is ok, it's made clear that he's not a great person. Our society dictates freedoms of expression, including in literature, which means that it's ok. That freedom of expression can be used to vilify such horrid actions as violence towards women."

Becca sipped her coffee, hoping that was a good answer.

"Interesting answer, I like it. Back to our earlier discussion, you expressed a strong interest in STEM. Can you give me an explanation as to why you have a love for science and math?"

"Well," Becca smiled, knowing this was an answer that she would be strong at, "I love that there's kind of an oxymoron between them. In math and science, there tends to be a definitive answer, whether it's a sum or equation, like two plus two always equals four. On the flip side, there's so much to explore. Science has taught us about the stars in the sky, the way our body works and how our earth keeps on spinning. It allows us so many new possibilities, a chance to expand our horizons and just make the world a better place. When you get beyond the definitive answers, you have an infinite amount of questions. It seems like such an opposite, but that's what makes it so amazing. One day I can be working out answers on a calculator, knowing that I'm working to find one equation, but the next I can be looking at cells that could potentially be saving a human life. I love math, numbers are such an amazing thing- they float around, we can play with them like children. All I want to do is see these things."

"Ah, you mentioned your love of numbers in your college admissions essay, something very different. Why did you choose to write your essay on that?"

"I wanted it to be different, something special and I thought that numbers would be a fun one. The essay said to show who you are and I really thought that it was the best way to reflect who I am. I wanted it to be outside of the box, yet suitable for the task at hand and reflective of me and a person. Everything else in college applications is so rigorous, box ticking and writing down grades, so the admissions essay allowed me to take my hair down. It's also not necessarily related to my chosen major, but still relevant enough to be linked. Honestly, it was just such a pleasure to write and I think that came down to me enjoying it."

"I'm glad that you enjoy it, college applications can be such a drag," Genevieve laughed, "It was for me anyway. Now, next question: what extracurriculars do you plan to pursue at Harvard?"

"Like at McKinley, I don't want to strain myself too much. I definitely want to continue cheering; being part of the Crimsons would be so much fun. I also plan to continue with volunteering with the homeless, the Boston Rescue Mission does the most AMAZING work. Hopefully I'll be able to try something new, I don't know exactly what but I'll definitely check out the freshman fair if I can. Lastly I plan to join the nearest Methodist church, so maybe I'll help out there but not to the expense of my studies. It'll be a nice mix of old and new."

"Great," Genevieve continued scribbling something down, Becca craning her neck in an attempt to see what she was writing, "Now, I want you to describe me a struggle you've had in life. It can be anything, from academics to illness."

This hit Becca. She didn't want to talk about her mom's accident, only Ryder and Spencer knew about that and that would stay the same. It didn't matter if it helped with her college application; she was not talking about it. There was a much safer option that could work- her aunt.

"So my aunt recently came into my life. She's my dad's sister; I'd never met her before in my life. Aunt Wendy left the day after she and my dad graduated high school, she'd fallen in with the wrong crowd and gotten very heavily into drugs, like the real hard stuff like heroin. That was twenty seven years ago, in September she turned up on the doorstep with a guy who turned out to be my cousin. It was a total shock, especially for my dad. Wendy had spent years on drugs, sobered up when she found out she was pregnant and managed to sort her life out. My dad was immediately happy to see her, as was my mom- it was the sister in law she never met. I, however, wasn't so pleased. I was thrilled she'd cleaned up, but I just couldn't forgive a woman who had hurt my parents, dropped off the face of the earth then returned hoping for forgiveness. It was more of an internal struggle for me. The Bible is very clear about forgiveness and family, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept her apology and bring her into my life. Being a Christian, I truly believe that I should follow God's teachings as properly as I can. It was so hard for me because I felt that I was letting down the Lord, but I just found it so difficult, like He was testing me. Eventually, after help from praying, reading the Bible and help from my boyfriend, I found that it was right for me to forgive my aunt. We're close now; I get along with my cousin Patrick. For some it may not be a struggle, but it was for me. I was glad to see it through."

She let out a big, but faked, smile.

"Excellent, excellent," Genevieve nodded, "Now, how do you see yourself in ten years?"

"Ten years, hm, that's interesting," Becca bit her lip, "Well, I'll be nearly twenty eight. I'll have hopefully finished my PhD, starting my career. I see myself in a lab, helping to cure diseases and generally doing something that I love. Personally, I'd hope to be in a long term relationship, looking towards marriage and children."

"Now, I only have a few more questions before we start winding down."

Becca nodded.

"What do you think that you can offer Harvard as a student?"

"I hope to offer them somebody who really cares about the institute that I hope to join. I will try so hard in my own studies and won't let them down, all whilst ensuring that I remind the world that Harvard has made me who I am and is part of any future achievements. Moreover, I want to offer a new perspective, but I admit that's not necessarily restricted to me. Everyone had new perspective and I hope that I would offer it, whether it's academically or helping out within the community. For years, Harvard was the home of the elites but now it's growing to include everybody with the brains, drive and spirit to be a Crimson. I try hard in everything I do; from schoolwork to cheerleading, and that is something I can bring to the table. Nobody will ever have to worry about me slacking, because I will offer not only my professors everything, but the entire Harvard community."

"That's wonderful dear," Genevieve smiled, "Now; we're going to end the interview with some more personal questions, just to see who you are. If you had to pick five songs to go on your playlist of favourite songs, which would you choose?"

" _Songbird, Rhiannon and Dreams_ by Fleetwood Mac; _One of Us_ by Joan Osborne and _Sunday Morning_ by Maroon 5."

"Three favourite TV shows?"

"The X Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ghost Hunters."

"Five favourite films?"

"Carrie; Bring It On; Mean Girls; Halloween and The Sixth Sense."

"Now, how would your best friend describe you, both complimentary and not so complimentary?"

"My best friend tells me what he thinks about me all the time," Becca joked, making Genevieve laugh, "He says that I'm a nerd but he puts up with it because I help him with his homework, that I've got a great sense of humour and I don't take anyone's crap. I care about those closest to me, I've practically adopted his younger sister and I try my hardest to be a good Christian. He says that I care what people think of me and that I need to relax sometimes, I can be highly strung. Still, he says I'm his best friend for a reason and I like to think that he likes the good and gets over the bad."

"Well I think that's it for me," Genevieve shut her book, "Do you have any questions for me?"

"Is there a service I can go to that helps transition into a graduate programme? I'd love to do a PhD, hopefully at Harvard, and I'd like to see what assistance I can get in that department."

"The student office has advisors for everything in the college, from personal issues to graduate programmes. You won't have to start any formal processes until your junior year, but you can go to them immediately with any questions so that you can plan early. Harvard offers a discount for those who did their undergraduate there, but the PhD programmes are extremely prestigious and hard to get into. Get to the student advisors early."

"Right, thanks," Becca nodded, "As for Boston as a city, are there any places you'd recommend for cultural enrichment that are off the beaten track?"

"There are many Becca; I'd recommend searching Hidden Boston on Google- there are too many to talk about right now."

"Awesome. What would you say is the way to transition from high school to college?"

"Make sure you know that it's a huge step up. If you go to Harvard, you were likely the valedictorian in high school, the top dog, but at Harvard you're one of thousands of brilliant, academic students. Make sure you know that you won't be perfect, that's the main thing. If you're moving to a college far away, make sure that you make friends so you won't be lonely. Talk to your classmates, the people in your halls and anyone in your extracurriculars. Everyone will be in the same boat as you; they'll all be very nice. Make sure you learn some independence; lots of kids are used to their parents doing everything for them. It's a different world, but you sure will love it. Anymore?"

"One more," Becca added, "What made you personally pick Harvard and economics, especially the masters?"

"I was always ambitious," Genevieve looked lost in thought, "I was born when women couldn't even get a degree from Harvard. I knew that I was that new generation of person who could reach for the stars; the 80s were amazing for ambition. My biggest push was my grandmother, a woman who had been denied a college education because she had very traditional parents who did not believe a woman should attend school- this was in the 20s. What she wanted was to see a granddaughter with the drive to attend the best school in the USA. She saw it and she was there when I collected my masters. When I started at Harvard, women couldn't even attend Columbia. Economics was a simple one for me, I always followed the stock markets and financial news as a child, and I loved to learn about money and means. Doing a masters was just an extension of my love; I just wanted to learn more than I had in my four years of undergrad. It all seemed to fit."

"We're the generation of change makers," Becca smiled, "It's for everyone who never got to do this. Most of all, it's for us. We're the ones with the chance, but also the ones who are capable because we've used ourselves to hoist ourselves up."

"Amen to that," Genevieve grinned, "If that's all, then I think we've had our interview."

"Awesome, it's been really great. Thank you for volunteering your time."

"It's a pleasure to do for the school I love; hopefully you'll do it one day too."

"I hope so," Becca stood up, the two shaking hands, "Goodbye Genevieve."

"Bye Becca, good luck."

Becca took the cups to the side, placing them on the counter for the barista. The two women went their separate ways, Genevieve heading to the other side of the parking lot to Becca.

The blonde got in the car, feeling confident about the day. Genevieve was nice and she felt like the interview had gone well, hopefully it would give her an edge on the application. Starting the ignition, she drove home and sung loudly to every song. Happily slipping back into the drive, she opened her front door.

"I'm back!" she called.

"Kitchen!" her dad called back.

Becca entered the kitchen, about to speak but then stopped when she saw Wendy; Patrick; Spencer; Katie and Ryder stood there along with her parents. Beaming with excitement, she ran immediately into Ryder's arms. He spun her around.

"Hi," she kissed him, turning to the others while still in his embrace, "What are you all doing here?"

"We thought we'd invite some people over to celebrate your interview," Andrew stated from the side.

"Awesome," Becca clapped her hands, embracing everyone (except Spencer of course).

"How did it go then?" Katie asked from where she was sat on the kitchen side.

"I think it went really well," Becca told them all, "She was really nice- Genevieve, graduated in the 80s with a masters in Economics. I got asked all the usual questions about things I like, future plans and why I've chosen Harvard. Then there were some chill questions and then I asked her a few, she was super nice- a Methodist like us as well so that was cool. I have to say it's made me feel better about it, I think the interview has helped."

"Aww my baby," Mona played with her daughter's hair, "We bought some cheesecake for us to share. I'll cut it now."

Mona served up, everyone standing around the kitchen, chatting happily. Becca made sure to rotate the room to talk to everyone, but ended up spending most it on Ryder's side.

"I'm proud of you babe," Ryder whispered to her, putting an arm around her.

"You are? I haven't got in yet."

"Still, you've got an interview for Harvard and that's awesome. I love my brilliant girl."

"Love you too loser."

Ryder kissed Becca's crown, settling his head on hers. For the rest of the evening, they were lost in conversation.

 **Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Next Time: Becca, Alistair, Ryder and Spencer enjoy a night of underage drinking at a local bar, where they enjoy karaoke and dancing.**

 **Thanks again, I hope you enjoy it and hope to see you again next time xxx**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi guys, thanks for everything so far! X**

 **Chapter 13**

"Damn girl, you look sexy."

Becca had made herself look great- straightened, sleek hair, a lacy white shirt, black mini skirt, leather jacket and strappy heels. She, Ryder, Alistair and Spencer had decided to have a night out together at _Alibi,_ a bar on the outskirts of town. Becca had used her contacts to ensure they wouldn't run into any teachers or other authority figures that could bust them for being underage. She'd also been assured that the people running it didn't give a shit that they were underage, so long as their ID looked legal and they didn't act like high school students. A few of their classmates had made trips, so she was sure that they would fine.

Alistair, ever the sensible one, was the designated driver so he'd sworn off any drinking- it would be lemonade, coke and water for him all night. That wouldn't stop the other three from getting pretty wasted, though Becca was trying not to get blackout drunk. As much as she wanted a good time, she wanted to avoid waking up with no memory, for health and safety reasons. She supposed if anyone tried anything with him, Spencer and Ryder would back her up, sober or drunk.

On her bedside table were an ibuprofen and a glass of water, ready for the inevitable pounding head tomorrow. She'd done all her homework in the morning and afternoon to ensure that she didn't slack on it tomorrow, a day that she would be spending in bed feeling sorry for herself and messaging all her friends for sympathy.

 _Get your ass downstairs, we're on our way._

Rolling her eyes at Spencer's message, she grabbed her things and rushed down the stairs, her heels clicking against the carpet.

"Is that not a bit short?" Andrew asked, arms folded and eyebrow raised, referring to her skirt.

Becca slowly pulled it down.

"I wasn't born yesterday, your aunt used to do that when she was your age- have her skirt lower when she went out, then raise it when she was in the car or the taxi. Look, just please don't ever have it shorter than that. Do it when you're in college, but while you're under my roof and seventeen, I'm going to complain about what you're wearing. Now, I know that you want to have fun tonight, but I don't want you drinking too much. If you do that, you'll be putting yourself in a vulnerable position, you may get ill or arrested for being underage. It's a little safer at Cody's parties, but it's in a bar away from ours and you don't know what the patrons are like. When I was your age, I drunk like that so I won't be a hypocrite and tell you not to. Not a buzz, but no state where you forget your last name and send texts you forget. Thank God cell phones weren't a thing when I was your age."

"Don't worry daddy, I did a pinky swear to God that I was not going to get black out drunk. It's ok once in a while, but safety first. I want to remember a fun night with my friends. God willing I am safe."

"You're a good kid; make sure all your friends are safe. Alistair could have one drink if he really wanted to, but I'm glad he isn't having anything alcoholic tonight, especially because he's driving."

A car honked outside.

"That's me," Becca kissed her dad's cheek, "See you later, love you."

"Love you too sweetheart."

Becca rushed out of the door, jogging down the steps to the car. Alistair didn't have a car himself, so he'd borrowed his dad's as he was on the insurance. The only reason he had a licence was because he knew that it was quite important to have one and may be useful in the future.

"Hey guys," she beamed.

They all greeted her, Ryder leaning in. It started as a peck, but the two began making out.

"God can't you two hold it in?" Spencer complained from the front seat.

"This is coming from a guy who has a hard on for PDA," Becca shot back between kisses, "If I want to make out with my ultra hot boyfriend, then I will. Besides, tonight is a night for PARTYING! Come on Alistair, turn on the radio."

Alistair did as asked.

"Oh my god this song, it reminds me of _Step Brothers_ ," Spencer almost yelled as _Sweet Child of Mine_ started playing.

 _She's got a smile it seems to me_

 _Reminds me of childhood memories_

 _Where everything_

 _Was as fresh as the bright blue sky_

 _Now and then when I see her face_

 _She takes me away to that special place_

 _And if I'd stare too long_

 _I'd probably break down and cry_

Spencer mimed the air guitar, Alistair warbled the background melody, Becca did a head bang and Ryder did some very questionable rock moves.

"I think I've done my neck in doing that," Becca clutched it.

"What are you, 80?" Spencer asked.

"80/10? You bet bitch."

"I can attest to that," Ryder agreed.

"Ooh smooth one, well done," Becca cuddled into her boyfriend's side. Ryder was now well versed in how and when to make cute or smooth comments to his girlfriend, which was often rewarded with a kiss and a proud look. He had this boyfriend thing down on lock.

"We're not far, it's about a little while after the Starbucks," Alistair nodded as the familiar mermaid sign came into a view, "I tell you what; I am not going to be carrying any of you drunk so you better be able to stand up and walk, if not I am calling you a cab."

"We wouldn't do that you honey," Becca assured, playing with her hair, "Ryder can carry me if I'm drunk."

"No I'm not," Ryder argued back.

"You know that you'll end up doing it," the blonde replied coolly.

Ryder shook his head, laughing. They finally pulled into the parking lot at _Alibi,_ only a few cars parked in there. It looked as though it had seen better days, but didn't look too bad in comparison to most of the places in Lima. The neon sign was fading, but hearty laughter and clinking glasses could be heard from inside. A tough looking bouncer stood at the door, with a few patrons having a smoke outside.

"ID please," the bouncer asked.

He barely even looked at Becca's, waving her in immediately, but took his time looking at the boys'. It looked like he knew that they were in high school, but didn't really give a shit. Most of the owners in Lima didn't care too much- it was an unspoken rule that they would let underage kids in so long as they didn't cause a fuss that would get the bars fined.

"How come he barely looked at your ID?" Alistair asked Becca.

"Because I'm the only one with breast, unless you count Spencer's man boobs."

"These are pecs Hamilton, pure and simple," Spencer clenched his arm, "Let's get drinks in."

They walked over to the bar, waiting until the bartender finished serving another patron.

"Round's on me fellas," Becca got out some cash as the bartender came over, "What do you want?"

"Pint of beer for me please," Spencer asked.

"Same please," Ryder requested.

"Just a coke for me please," Alistair asked.

"Tequila and orange juice for me thanks," Becca smiled.

"I know that Gary asked for your IDs, but I'll need to see them too please," the bartender asked, receiving them without a fuss. Like the bouncer outside, he clearly knew that they were likely underage but didn't question it because it wasn't like they were too young. Besides, they'd be good business for the night.

"No drinking tonight son?" he asked Alistair.

"I'm designated driver," he smiled.

"Good lad-every third water or soda is free for any designated driver," the bartender pointed to a sign behind him with his thumb, "Glad you're sensible, I hate having to load people in taxis or confiscate keys, nearly had a fatal crash last year. Got investigated by the cops, they thought I may have given the dude more alcohol even though he was clearly inebriated. Luckily the cameras proved that I'd turned the idiot away. Nearly killed himself when he wrapped around a pole, lucky no one else was involved. I'd hate it if he killed anyone."

"Good gracious," Becca smartly answered, "Good that there were cameras here, it would be so horrible if you lost your license over it."

"Yeah, place is my livelihood. If you find a seat, the waitress will bring them over in a bit."

They thanked him, going over to a plush booth.

"Ooh they have karaoke tonight," Becca excitedly looked at the laminated leaflet.

"Can you believe that in a year, we'll all be in different places, having drinks at bars across the country with new friends?" Spencer asked his voice suddenly sad, "We'll be seeing each other during the holidays, but we won't be doing this as often as we could. Like, we won't be able to call each other up for a coffee or a trip to the mall because we could be as far as a plane ride away."

The other three looked at each other.

"I mean, if I get into Harvard we'll both be in Boston," Becca replied in a small voice.

"It's one silver lining," Spencer shrugged, "But I guess it's just strange to think about. We all met just over a year ago- at the start of our junior year Alistair thought I was a creep, Ryder and Becca were never going to admit we liked each other and we were just genuinely different people."

"Oh my god Spence, are you getting sentimental?" Alistair teased, pushing his boyfriend's arm.

"It's called realism babe, I have it."

"I mean, it is pretty cool that we're gonna be college students," Ryder grinned at the thought, "Like no more house parties and going to a bar that we 100% know that we are gonna not get kicked out of. There's gonna be crazy frat parties, bar crawls and sneaking alcohol onto campus. All of it, there are so many opportunities. Trips abroad, famous speakers and the whole independence thing. I don't have to have my mom coming in early in the morning, being loud and waking me up to find a pair of smelly socks. Well, I'll have to do my own washing but I'm not totally sheltered, I can actually do that. You're so lucky Spencer that you've netted yourself a full ride and have had an acceptance since fall. The rest of us have to wait, praying. My parents are paying, but still, a scholarship wouldn't be too bad."

"Well, the NFL calls," Spencer smirked, "But it's only another month or so until acceptances start rolling in. Then we can all celebrate- after all, Ivy League is calling for one."

They all looked at Becca.

"Guys, I haven't got in yet. I might not."

"You're like the smartest person ever," Alistair told her with a smile.

"That's sweet, but you guys don't know how hard Harvard is to get into. Having a perfect SAT score and amazing grades is no way to get in. There are hundreds of super intelligent students around the country who would do great at Harvard, but they don't have the capacity to let that many people in. I mean, there have been Presidents who have been to Harvard, Nobel laureates and everything inbetween. You can have your super rich dad donate a library wing, but most students aren't lucky enough to buy their way in. Caltech, which you know is my back up, is super hard as well, so I'm looking at Notre Dame as the middle tier one that is likeliest."

"Well you better get into Harvard, because California is way too far for my bestie to be," Spencer told her, "Even if you don't get in- which you will, because you're awesome, there's always grad school, you can live with me when I play for the Patriots."

"Whatever you say," Becca rolled her eyes, "C'mon everyone, let's cheers."

Becca really hated talking about college, so had decided to prevent the conversation anyway possible. The thought of talking about Harvard made her want to burst into tears because she was so terrified of the result. Harvard's acceptance rate was in the single figures, which meant she was extremely unlikely to be accepted into the most prestigious university in the US. Part of her was starting to wish that she had never applied, a far cry from her previous 'shoot for the stars' mentality. Becca was starting to get extremely stressed about it, having to calm herself in order not to have a breakdown on her chemistry homework. Sleep was becoming increasing restless, she tossed and turned when she was awake and found herself waking up more in the morning. It wasn't bad enough for anyone to notice, a coffee at the drive in before school usually kept her ok for the rest of the day. She'd even started to look forward to hard Cheerios practice because it allowed her to drop off more easily. It wasn't easy to be around Spencer, who had a scholarship. Hell, it wasn't easy to be around any of her friends because their inevitable college talk inevitably turned into them excitedly squealing about her going to Harvard. Even the usually indifferent Bree was excited to talk about her bestie's future successes.

"Cheers," the glasses clunk together.

"Oh my, they're starting karaoke," Alistair pointed over at an old man who already looked a few drinks over what he needed.

 _Hot in, so hot in here! So hot in, hot, oh!_

"He is not," Becca put her hands over her mouth.

"Oh my god he is," Spencer laughed

 _With a little bit of, uh uh, and a little bit of, uh uh_

 _Just a little bit of, just a little bit of_

 _Just a little bit of, just a little bit of_

 _I was like, good gracious, ass is bodacious_

 _Flirtatious, tryin' to show patience_

The old guy was pretty crap, warbling whilst swaying, a beer in hand. After a few bars, he placed his glass down and started to take off his jacket. It was fine until he started unzipping his trousers too. The whole place erupted in laughter, the bartender rushing over to stop him.

"Ok thank you everyone, Larry is finished now. Get on up if you want a go," the bartender spoke into the microphone, ushering the old man from the stage.

"Well, chaps and chapettes," Spencer slapped the table, "I think I'll have a go before I turn into old man stripper over there."

He stood up, flipping through the machine to select his song.

 _Please allow me to introduce myself_

 _I'm a man of wealth and taste_

 _I've been around for a long, long year_

 _Stole many a man's soul to waste_

Spencer moved like Mick Jagger himself, his body moving in short bursts, his strut arrogant and his head banging. Taking the entire mike stand, he moved with it, leaning in so he could sing loudly into it. Becca clapped and cheered loudly, some of the older patrons dancing around in their seats.

"Sing it with me people," he called out.

 _Pleased to meet you_

 _Hope you guess my name, oh yeah_

 _Ah, what's puzzling you?_

 _Is the nature of my game, oh yeah?_

Everyone sang/screamed along, drinks waving in the air, dangerously close to spilling over. The whole place was in rapptous applause once he was gone, the overconfident teen bowing at the sight of acclaim. Hopping down, Spencer swanned back over to his friends with a gigantic smirk on his face.

"You're not going to shut up about this, are you?" Alistair asked, knowing his boyfriend far too well, safe in the knowledge that his boyfriend was smug.

"Nope," Spencer replied, popping the 'p.'

"Are you gonna sing babe?" Ryder asked, putting an arm around his girl.

"I'm not so sure," Becca replied quietly.

"You sang to me on Valentine's Day last year in front of everyone at the Breadstix, you were awesome- super confident and super amazing," he assured her, going to play with her hair.

"When I sang that, it was in front of our friends so it was fine. This crowd is a bunch of old drunk men, so I feel a little less confident," Becca explained.

"Then we'll do a duet and I'll be there to hold your hand the entire way through it."

"Well that sounds alright," Becca teased, Ryder laughing and kissing her nose sweetly as she bunched it up, "What I am going to do, however, is dance because if there's one thing I know what to do, it's boogie."

"Is that due to the fact you're like the only girl here, can actually dance and know that you'll be centre of attention as a result?" Spencer asked, faux innocently as he sipped his drink.

"Well of course," the blonde tossed her hair back, "It'd be a crime not to show off this look, even if it is in front of some old pervs. Besides, there's only one person that I want tapping this and he is right here if he gets jealous."

"I think I'm right in saying that I don't expect some creepy old guy to steal your heart," Ryder teased, pulling Becca onto his lap.

"Damn right," and with that, the two started making out again.

"Right, I'll be in the bathroom so I can be sick in peace," Spencer slapped his thighs, shifting passed Alistair so he could get out. Becca didn't even bother doing a middle finger as she usually did, too busy making out with her boyfriend happily. This left a rather uncomfortable Alistair as third wheel, which Becca was none too sympathetic about, having been alone whilst he and Spencer had made out on dates.

"Oh my god are you still going at it?" Spencer asked as he walked back in.

"Well we're not now, cock block," Becca shot back, tumbling back into her seat, "Babe, shall we pick a duet before we're too drunk to remember the words?"

Ryder nodded, taking Becca's hand as they went up to karaoke. After shuffling through the songbook, they decided upon one.

 _Baby, when I met you there was peace unknown_

 _I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb_

 _I was soft inside, there was somethin' going on_

 _You do something to me that I can't explain_

 _Hold me closer and I feel no pain_

 _Every beat of my heart_

 _We got somethin' goin' on_

The audience was swaying along slowly to this one, some waving their hands in the air or closing their eyes as if reliving old memories of times gone by.

 _Islands in the stream_

 _That is what we are_

 _No one in-between_

 _How can we be wrong_

 _Sail away with me to another world_

 _And we rely on each other, ah-ah_

 _From one lover to another, ah-ah_

Ryder couldn't hit the base notes like Kenny Rogers and Becca didn't have the range of Dolly Parton, it was all fun anyway. Both received rapturous applause from the patrons, with one college boy yelling that he wanted to see more of Becca singing. Ryder glared at that boy, his arm going straight around Becca in a protective fashion.

"Ooh la la, Kenny and Dolly are quaking in their boots," Spencer teased.

"Shut up," Becca downed the rest of her drink in a quick fashion.

"Another round?" Ryder got out his wallet, "It's on me."

He got up, getting a whisky on the rocks for Becca, beer for him and Spencer and water for Alistair. Just as he sat back down, a cry came from one of the patrons.

"Shots on me everyone!" he called out.

"God I love this place," Spencer stated gleefully as they clapped, the waitress eventually coming over with vodka shots.

"Shots shots shots everybody!" they yelled, all of them apart from Alistair taking a shot glass.

"To friendship!" Becca started, raising the glass.

"To friendship," the boys repeated before they all downed their shots together.

"Shall we have another one?" Spencer asked.

"Oh no, vodka shots are the worst," Alistair looked at them all, "First you feel all amazing then you have no memories and wake up on your bed feeling like shit. I am not dealing with the three of you while you're doing shots."

"Sucks to be you babe, I'll get them in," Spencer stood up, returning only a few minutes later with a round of shots. Seconds later and they were downed again.

About an hour later and several drinks in, the three of them were starting to get a little tipsy.

"I'm going to go dance with everyone," Becca smiled, going over to put something on the jukebox.

The blonde span into the middle of the floor, her long hair flying excitedly with her. Several eyes were on her as she moved gracefully, her body moving perfectly to the beat. She moved up and down to the beat, her butt twerking out. Considering she was the only girl in there and the only one who could dance well, she was getting attention. A small circle surrounded her, whooping and cheering as she danced without a care in the world.

Becca ended it with the splits, letting the crowd cheer wildly. A couple of people helped her back up, the blonde skipping back over to her friends.

"Now that is how you do it bitches," she threw her hair back, "I want another shot, who wants some more shots? I'll buy."

"God this night is gonna be the worst," Alistair put his head in his hands.

"Stop it's gonna be fun," Becca giggled, "Shall we have tequila? It's a variation."

Ryder and Spencer nodded, the two also starting to get drunker.

"Hello," she leaned on the bar when she got up there, "Can I have three tequila slammer shots please?"

She put three fingers up.

"You having a good night kid?" the bartender asked as he cleaned some glasses.

"Yeah, not too many more because I want to remember the night and not get crazy black out drunk," she rubbed the bridge of her nose, "If any of us get too rowdy, please stop serving us, we won't want trouble. I mean, I'll just laugh a lot, that's what I do when I'm drunk. Plus I don't think our designated driver will be too thrilled with us."

"You guys college students?" he asked as he poured the tequila.

"Let's say that then."

The bartender laughed- he wasn't stupid, he knew they were underage. As long as they didn't blow his cover and get him shut down, he didn't really care. Most of his regulars had been drinking for longer than these kids had.

"$3 please."

She paid him, bringing them over.

"Tequila slammers!" she announced joyfully, "Are you ok for drinks Alistair?"

"Yes thank you," Alistair smiled politely from over his orange juice.

"Excellent," she clapped, "Let's drink."

She, Ryder and Spencer slammed them down again with ease.

"Roxy told me a joke the other day, but I can't remember it, it was super funny though," Ryder played with the rim of his glass.

"Yo remember when you hated Roxy?" Spencer asked Becca, laughing.

"Yeah I do, I hated that hoe, but she's not a hoe now, she's like a hoe in a good way," Becca giggled, "Like I'd call Bree my hoe but like in the best way cause she's my best girl. Heck, she calls herself a hoe because she likes boys. You know what, I hate it when people shame her for being with lots of boys because I think a person should be allowed to be with as many people as they want as long as they're safe and won't harm anyone. I wouldn't do it because I don't think God would like it, but I'm chill with it. Bree is my girl; I love her lots and lots and lots like I love you all. You're all my favourite people in the world along with my mommy and daddy and Katie. I can't wait to drink with Katie; she's gonna be a blast like her brother. I want a hug, someone give me a hug."

Ryder obliged, putting his arms around her.

"I love you all so much," she continued, "Ryder you're like the love of my life, like every other guy is like dog shit compared to you. You're so good and kind, like a real life superman who is the cutest of all time. Spencer you're my bestie, the best bestie of all time, I love youuuu the most of all my friends. Alistair, you have such great hair and you can draw super well, you're like a total blast. I wish I could hold you all forever, you're in my heart. I love you all this much."

She threw her arms out as far as she could.

"I love you too Becs," Ryder slurred slightly.

"We're the best squad ever," Spencer enthused, "You know what? Before Glee club, I used to dance alone in my room but now I do it with other people. We should dance, let's dance. Our drinks are finished; no meanies are going to spike them. One big dance before we go home."

"Yeah," Becca cheered, "Let's dance; everyone looked at me when I dance because I AM SO DAMN GOOD. Sorry for being boastful Mr. God, you're still my main man."

She scooped up her bag, the guys checking their pockets for everything and up they went onto the dance floor.

"I have to admit that this was fun, even though you're all drunk," Alistair admitted as he linked hands with Spencer.

"We'll get an Uber next time so you aren't left out," Spencer pinched his boyfriend's cheeks, "God I love dancing."

"You hate dancing," Becca reminded him.

"Oh yeah," Spencer realised as though he'd only just discovered that fact.

They all danced for several songs, spinning with their respective partners. Ryder felt safer dancing with Becca; the patrons were less leery with her when he was close. Her perfume overwhelmed him, though he imagined his senses were heightened by the alcohol in his system.

After the song set had ended, they decided to call it a night.

"Thank you Mr. Bartender," Becca called, waving from the bar exit.

"Bye," Spencer and Ryder also yelled excitedly, waving their arms so much that it looked as though they were going to snap off.

"Bye kids," the bartender laughed, waving them off.

They stumbled out of the bar and into Alistair's car.

"Is everyone belted in?" he asked before he drove off, "I don't fancy any of you become pancakes in the road."

Everyone mumbled that they were, Becca resting her head against Ryder's shoulder. Satisfied no one was going to become road squash in case of a crash, he reversed out of the parking lot.

They drove along quietly, Spencer snoring quietly in his seat with Ryder and Becca quietly reflecting on their drunken seat. That all changed when Ryder noticed something in the corner of his eye.

"Dominos!" he yelled, pointing at the bright sign.

"Pizza, pizza!" Becca chanted, rousing Spencer from his slumber. Pretty soon, the other two were chanting it too.

"Pizza, pizza!" they yelled.

"Thank God," Alistair threw his head against his seat, "I'm starving."

He pulled into the parking lot.

"Let me order," he told them.

"We'll pay your share," Becca mumbled, "You drove us."

"You don't have to."

"No, it's only fair," Ryder agreed, "Come on, let's go."

With Alistair warning them all to be good, the other three followed him gingerly into the bright lights of the store. Becca hissed like a vampire at the sudden brightness, luckily not noticed by the store clerk walking up to the counter. Seeing their dishevelled state, she knew that they were drunk.

"Shall I just order a couple of large meat feasts?" Alistair asked.

"Ooh and some chicken wings please," Becca added brightly.

"Cool, you guys sit down and I'll order. We'll split the money when I get the check."

The relieved three drunk teens almost dropped into their seats, Becca cuddling as close to Ryder as she could. Alistair soon sat back down.

"It won't be long, they say they're not too busy tonight," he told them.

"Thank god," Spencer grinned, "I am so hungry that I could eat the three of you and still have room."

They sat in silence after putting up the money, all in the state where they knew they were drunk but not enough to be content about it. Becca started giggling randomly again at one point, with the woman at the counter looking at her as though she was unbalanced.

When the food came, Spencer nearly ripped the pizza box out of the lady's hand.

"Sorry," he muttered like a naughty schoolboy, "I'm really hungry."

"That's ok," she laughed, "Enjoy your meal."

Only Alistair had the clarity of mind to thank her as the others started devouring the food immediately. Spencer wasn't even the greediest person that night; his friends were managing to be just as piggish as him. Becca stuffed large amounts of chicken wings in her mouth, Alistair had pizza slices down in one go whilst Ryder wasn't even looking at what he was eating. Not even the music blasting from the wall speakers could pry them away from their precious meal.

"Oh my I forgot to pray before I ate," Becca gasped. Even when drunk, she would never forget her religious beliefs- she always prayed before eating, even if it was a silent prayer before school lunch.

"I think God will give you a pass today," Spencer murmured.

"No, God is my main man I have to be a good girl," Becca fumbled the trinity cross across her chest, "Dear Lord, thank you for this bountiful meal, it was amazing. May you bless us and since I'm your main girl, I'd like not to wake up with a terrible hangover. Thank you."

"Did you just pray to avoid a hangover?" Ryder asked.

"Jesus loves me," Becca poked herself in the chest, "He's my friend because I listen to what he says in his book, it's a great book by the way. So unless you have any better ideas than the creator of this world and his son, then I suggest that you pray."

"I thought I was your main man," Spencer stated.

"Yeah but God's like the main G isn't he?" Becca laughed, "But you're my boo."

"Damn right," Spencer patted his heart.

"This has been a really great night," Ryder eventually stated, his arm around Becca, "I actually think this is one of the best nights of my life- with friends. I mean, I might not say that in the morning, but thank you guys."

They all smiled in agreement, pushing their pizza slices together as if they were toasting a drink. That brightly lit Dominos around midnight on a pleasant February was a day they would never forget, for it was a day surrounded by friends and fun.

 **Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed drunken Becca and her friends.**

 **Next Time: Becca's 18** **th** **birthday gives her a day of happiness. Worry not though, because the chapter after is a bit more angsty.**

 **Thanks again and don't forget to review xxx**


	14. Chapter 14

**As always, thanks for your support xxx**

 **Chapter 14**

Becca was minding her own business as she sorted out her locker.

February had turned into March, running down the clock until graduation. Her birthday in late February had been amazing. Her parents had surprised her so much when they burst into her room whilst she was only just waking up that she'd fallen off of the bed, only cushioned by the duvet that had fallen with her. Followed by breakfast in bed, Becca had opened wonderful presents, including an expensive set of cross earrings from her parents. Her aunt and Patrick came later for lunch, with her friends arriving in the later afternoon. The evening had been spent drinking Andrew's homemade cocktails, crank calling and playing truth or date. The night drew on and it left Becca; Bree; Aimee; Jordan; Spencer; Alistair; Katie and Ryder to sleep on the large space made on the living room floor.

Becca had loved that because she'd gotten to sleep in Ryder's arms, cuddled against his chest and falling into slumber with him playing with her hair. If her parents hadn't have been home they would have showered together, but that would never fly whilst they were there. He had pulled her to the side in the evening to give her an extra present, to add to the personalised jewellery box he'd given in front of everyone else. It was a hand crafted wooden songbird with beautiful detail, an ode to Becca's favourite Fleetwood Mac song and her absolute love for the bird in general. Becca loved it so much, it was next to her alarm clock so that she would wake up to it every morning.

She was so distracted by the thoughts of her birthday that she only just registered the piece of paper being wafted in front of her face. Frowning with her forehead crinkled, she reached up to grab it from whoever was dangling it in front of her face.

 _Dear Ryder,_

 _Congratulations! The Bowling Green State University Admissions Board has decided to offer you a place in the class of 2020._

 _We received a record number of applicants this year and whilst we wished all of them could become a part of our Falcons family, but unfortunately there were far too many competitive applications. We found your application to be above our standards and are pleased to offer you a place at our university. Each year, BGSU continues to climb in the rankings and is a premier spot for academia in Ohio. We are glad to have accepted you._

 _Please contact us as soon as you can regarding your decision to either accept, deny or defer your decision. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to get the ball rolling. Applications for your major, accommodation and scholarships will be started when you accept your place- we will send you a login and password to our portal._

 _Again, big congratulations and we hope to see you at BGSU in August!_

 _All the Best,_

 _Katherine Moxler, Head of Admissions at Bowling Green State University_

Becca let out a little scream, spinning around with her mouth agape and hand clutching the letter still. Ryder stood in front of his girlfriend, a huge smile on his face. The email had dropped in his inbox at midnight and he'd found it when he woke up in the morning. That had sent him flying down the stairs with his phone in hand, nearly sending his sister flying across the kitchen as she had the misfortune of being near the door. His parents thought that he'd gone insane until he loudly and proudly announced that he got into BGSU. Jessica had cried, Liv had been genuinely supportive and Peter had hugged his son tight, telling him how proud he was of him. That had nearly got Ryder going as all he'd ever wanted was to make his PhD dad proud.

His parents had promised a celebration, the first part of it being dinner at Breadstix that evening. Ryder told them he didn't want anything special, but he knew that his parents would ignore him and do a party or something. He planned to call his grandparents and other family members later due to the lack of time at breakfast. Arriving at school, he'd immediately sought out Jake, Kitty, Marley and Unique to tell them about it because they were his best friends. They'd all been very happy for him; thought Kitty had hidden it behind her inevitable stark and insults. After telling them, he zoomed off to find Becca so that she knew next. He'd tell Mr. Schue after that (he'd done a recommendation letter) then play it by ear. These were all the people he wanted to know first- his family, his best friends, the girl he loved and the teacher who made him believe in himself.

"You got in!" she half-yelled, "You got in!"

"I'm going to BGSU baby!"

Becca yelped excitedly, jumping into Ryder's arms. Her yelping caused several students in the corridor to look at her with confusion, but seeing the letter they just guessed that it was another senior getting into the college that they wanted.

"Babe I'm so proud of you," she squashed his cheeks between her palms, "I mean let's be fair, you were always going to get in but this is so great! It's the official confirmation that you are totally awesome and smart and that BGSU is getting the best student in the country. You've worked so hard for this, you told dyslexia to go screw itself and you did! I can see you being the best businessman in the world in ten years and it's all down to how utterly brilliant you are. Wow, this is just so great, I am so proud of you. I couldn't pick a better boyfriend."

She made Ryder feel like he was walking on air.

"Well I'm lucky because I always have you in my corner, a cheerleader on and off the football field. I love you; I really do because you have supported me through absolutely everything. You tutored me when I struggled with math, you were so understanding about the babysitter thing and you've always come to my competition when you could. I could not have done this without you, I really couldn't have. You're everything to me, Rebecca Hamilton, you really are. Everything about you, you're just so incredible. I never thought I'd do this, I thought I'd peak with stupidly chasing after a girl I could never have and being catfished by someone I didn't expect, but then you arrived into my life. A beautiful blonde cheerleader full of life, with the most radiant smile, that's you. I really love you, I really do love you."

"This is all you, all you," Becca tapped his nose, "Everything about this is you, down to you putting your foot on the accelerate pedal and never taking it off. Well, I did pray for you a lot."

"Then God is a real bro," Ryder laughed.

"Well we're going to have to celebrate aren't we?" Becca teased, latching her arms around his neck, "I imagine you have plans with your family but we'll have to do something, just us two."

"Ooh, like what?"

"Like this," Becca went up on her tiptoes to whisper into Ryder's ear. He slowly went red at her suggestive sessions, biting his lip to try and control his emotions. She went back down, smirking slightly as she knew that she had achieved what she had wanted to.

"God you're amazing."

"Well, you do what you do for the one you love," Becca smiled, stroking his cheek.

"Like when you screamed at Bobby and Phil, then managed to negotiate with the devil herself? Man, I don't think I've ever been scared, intimidated, impressed and aroused at the same time."

Ryder had truly loved it when Becca came into defend him so passionately. She pulled no punches, taking down Bobby and Phil so swiftly that it was almost an art form. She'd then jumped out of the frying pan and into the inferno by directly dealing with Sylvester in an attempt to protect him from punishment for being bullied. Becca knew that she could get kicked off of Cheerios for doing what she did, but she did it anyway to protect her boyfriend. He was so thrilled; he didn't want to let her go afterwards. That was when he knew he was with the right person, he couldn't think of anyone else who had the gall to do that.

"I am a woman of many talents, like my awesome boyfriend who got into BGSU!"

"Well we'll be celebrating you soon when you get into Harvard, won't we?"

"Let's not talk about me," Becca softly changed the conversation, "That can wait, today is your day to celebrate college acceptance. Be proud of yourself; don't congratulate anyone else but yourself for being such a great worker."

"We'll come back to it eventually," Ryder told her with a smile, "But you're right, I want a day to be a bit proud of myself. Will God forgive me?"

"I think you've got a hall pass for this, don't worry," Becca laughed sweetly as the bell rang.

"Ok, I better get to homeroom," Ryder told her, "I'll speak to you later?"

"No need to ask, I'm not going to miss an opportunity to see my super remarkable boyfriend," the blonde leaned up to kiss him, "I love you."

"Love you too," Ryder accepted the kiss offered, "See you."

Becca smiled as she headed away to her own homeroom, Ryder going in the opposite direction to his.

There was more than one reason why she'd moved Ryder away from talking about Harvard. The first was genuine, she knew it was his day and that he should be the one they focused on, not her. It was his victory, he'd fought his dyslexia to improve his grades and go to the school that he wanted. This was not about her, this was about Ryder.

The second reason was that thinking about Harvard made her want to throw up.

It was so stressful. She knew that everyone was stressing out about college, but she felt as though the pressure was going to crush her to death. Everyone knew her as the girl who had applied to Harvard, to all the big schools, but especially Harvard. They knew that she wanted to go to Harvard, that she was the big shot who would be going to the biggest school, the one they could pin all their hopes on. McKinley wanted to boast they got a girl to go to Harvard to study STEM, her family wanted a relative who studied in Cambridge and the church wanted someone to show off. Everybody asked, like when her grandparents constantly wondered when her acceptance letter would come or her teachers when they talked about college in class. It was Harvard this and Massachusetts that.

It felt like a never ending squeeze around her neck. Everyone expected her to be perfect. Becca Hamilton was that golden blonde cheerleader who was the most popular girl in school, maintained stellar grades and would be prom queen this year. She had to maintain that for everyone around her, or that facade would crack. It was why she maintained her image; otherwise she would not be the queen of this school. Becca was to many an almost mythical creature, to be admired from afar but too excellent to be touched. That had to be maintained otherwise she would no longer be her. It didn't matter if she got into Caltech or UPenn, because it was Harvard that everyone was waiting for.

She could imagine it now if she didn't get in, the sympathetic head tilts and the assurances that they didn't know what they were doing. That was something she could not face.

There was also the fact that it was something she wanted more than anything. For all of her life, Becca had been highly ambitious. It was in her DNA, reaching for the stars. She was proud of being intelligent; never one to hide her grades and test scores. Her SAT scores and AP classes were a point of pride, being top of the class with a 4.0. She was proud of being cheer captain along with all her other achievements. Going to Harvard would be the pinnacle, the dream. She wanted to learn with the greats, walk down the halls that Presidents and Noble winners had walked down. It was such a great hall of learning, with a library full of riveting books and labs that had equipment from the future. Becca could learn so much from Harvard, it's all she wanted.

Knowing that she could not tell a soul, she immediately switched her happy smile on as she walked into homeroom, greeting her friends.

As she sat down, she scolded herself for being so selfish. It was Ryder's day to be happy, yet she was thinking about her own college woes. She had a lot to be thankful for, as she had cruised through high school academics whereas Ryder had to work twice as hard to be half as successful. It was not good of her to think of herself when her boyfriend had got into a school he really wanted to go to. She had been thrilled for Spencer when he got his football scholarship to UMass, even though she was jealous of the security he now had in college. Envy was the one of the biggest sins of them all, and she would not partake in it against the boy she loved.

Settling in her seat, she decided to lend her ear to whatever Bree was talking about. Envy could wait.

GROW APART-

 _Ok, so if that equation equals 14, then this one must equal 42_

Becca scribbled down the numbers on her algebra homework, her study sheets covering every part of the bed except the part that she was seated, cross legged, on. Mr. O'Connor had set out a lot of homework as part of this section; proven by the fact Becca had every single piece of her revision laid out in front of her. The teacher had stated that he did not expect anybody to get above a B, but Becca refused her perfect row of As in high school to go to waste. She would get an A and prove Mr. O'Connor wrong. Becca didn't do AP classes for no reason; she had to be the best.

She'd solved the equation, but dammit, she could have done it faster, just a few seconds faster. God, she was losing her game, she'd done it faster in class the other day. Was she getting distracted? Surely not, as she hadn't done anything _but_ study. Becca had rejected Ryder's offer to go bowling, and Spencer's for a movie night, as well as a possible party at Bobby's house whilst his parents were out. All in all, she had rejected any form of distraction.

It was stressful, she couldn't lie. All she wanted was to be perfect; she didn't want her grades to slip due to senioritis. So many of her classmates were starting to relax now that their college acceptances were rolling in, even in the AP classes. Becca refused to be that girl; she had to remain on top.

As she finished the sheet, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called.

Andrew popped his head in the door.

"Bedtime now darling."

"Daddy..."

"Don't daddy me Becca, it's getting late and you want to get a good night's sleep for school. Look at all this work; is this all your homework for this week?"

"This is for one class," the blonde held up the work sheet, "Algebra."

"Becca, I think that's far too much," Andrew frowned, "Especially for tonight."

"I have a few biology questions..."

"Nope, you can do that tomorrow," Andrew held up a hand, "You're a bright girl and I'm sure that you can do it quickly, but it's time for you to get some shut eye. Pack up your things please."

Becca rolled her eyes, placing her revision things back into their place and her worksheet in her folder to hand in tomorrow. As she did, she noticed that her father was still standing at the door.

"Why are you watching me?"

"To make sure."

"You don't need to, everything is fine."

"Ok, I'll take your word for it," Andrew leaned over to kiss his daughter's cheek, "Night princess."

"Night daddy."

Becca finished packing up once Andrew had left. Though she wished to study more into the night, she didn't want to lie to her father so decided that sleep was best. Once she was rejuvenated by sleep, she would perform better.

Going onto her knees, she did the sign of the trinity against her and prayed.

 _Dear Lord,_

 _Please bless my parents, Ryder and all of my friends. May you protect the poor, the sick and those who need you most, blessing them with all they need for their lives to be better. Give your love to the residents of the Lima Rescue Mission, for they are good people who need your help in order to find a permanent home._

 _Please heal Mrs. O'Grady, for her back has become painful. Also please let Number 49 find their lost dog, for they are so upset without him and he is a lovely pet._

 _Also, please guide me towards my future, for I am unsure of my path. Please absolve me of the sin of envy, because I was jealous of Ryder and not perfectly happy for his success. I wish for you to allow my acceptance into Harvard and hope that it is my reward for hard work, as well as being a faithful servant._

 _Amen._

She climbed into bed, checking her phone for any last messages- just a goodnight from Ryder, which she quickly replied to in kind.

Checking her alarm was set; she turned off her lamp and cuddled into the sheets.

It was a night of tossing and turning, as Becca really struggled to sleep. Her head was a mix of algebra, the Harvard coat of arms and her textbooks, all exciting her mind to the point that she could not rest. She tried everything, from counting sheep to breathing, but could not do a thing to lull her into a restful slumber. Everything felt as though it was slipping away from her, her life had been perfect for too long so she couldn't reach that one goal.

She felt selfish and stupid; her life was so blessed compared to everyone else. Still, the increasing worry of not getting in made her feel sicker to her stomach each day.

5%- that was the acceptance rate. Out of every one hundred applicants, only five would be accepted. It was the most selective school in the country, way above being top of the class or getting a high SAT score. It was so hard to get in; thousands of extremely intelligent students got rejected each year despite being extremely well-qualified.

It seemed like Becca had closed her eyes for five minutes before the alarm rang loudly in her ears. Slapping it off, she groaned as she opened her eyes. Sitting upright, she wished that it was a weekend- if she was anyone else she'd fake being sick, but Becca was proud of her perfect attendance record and would not be skipping a thing.

God, she wished she was anywhere else but school. She was exhausted but decided to go to school early.

"Heading off now, bye," she told her parents as she entered the kitchen, hurriedly kissing them on the cheek.

"Breakfast?" Mona asked.

"A few of us are going early to the Lima Bean to go over some study notes, we thought as well we might have breakfast over it so we didn't have to hurry," Becca lied easily.

There was no need for her parents to not believe her, Becca could tell them straight faced that she was doing something she wasn't. It was an easy and believable lie anyway, it could be any part of any class and they wouldn't question of it. For her, it was a benefit of being generally trustworthy and for having plausible reasons.

"I'm going to have a bacon roll," she added to emphasise the lie.

"Ooh, I'm jealous, they're the best," Andrew easily swallowed the falsehood, "Red sauce all over it, it's so damn good. Make sure you ask for an extra rasher, they can be tight."

"I will daddy," she did her fake angelic smile, "Bye now, love you both."

She kissed them both on the cheek before practically throwing herself out of the house. Rushing down the steps, she entered the car and took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. Leaning her head against the rest, it took everything in her to drive her way to school.

Becca was the first one in there, passing the janitor. Her head was in the clouds, so much so that she nearly crashed into straight into the large figure of Coach Beiste.

"Woah, sorry coach."

"No problem Becca, you're here very early. Has Coach Washington got you doing crazy Cheerios business?"

"I have some work to do for biology in the library."

"Ok- you look really pale Becca, are you ok? You're white as a sheet."

Becca's stomach then rumbled very loudly, not disguising the fact she'd missed lunch, dinner and breakfast. She immediately clutched it, avoiding Coach Beiste's eyes.

"Have you eaten this morning?"

"I went through the drive thru at the Lima Bean, I think it's just digesting," another lie.

"Alright, I won't keep you- look, you're pale Becca, are you ill?"

"I'm fine," Becca swiftly replied, "Fine, just fine, I better get to the library."

Whispering a goodbye, the blonde speed walked to the library. Clutching her folders, she quietly entered, the librarian only giving her a fleeting glance. Becca was a regular in their so wouldn't cause any problems. Sitting as far away from her glaring eyes, she got out her textbooks and did her work on biological mutualism.

Waiting until school was about to start, she headed off to her locked. She saw Ryder up ahead with his friends, but ducked so that he wouldn't see her. It was usually the highlight of her day, greeting him in the mornings, but her head was spinning and she didn't want to talk. Ryder would be all prying, trying to be comforting- Becca didn't need that, she needed to focus. If he was too much, she would break and she refused to break at all.

Stay sharp, stay focused and keep your head up.

At her locker, she put her biology textbooks back in.

"You look like shit."

"Gee thanks Spencer," she responded coolly, shutting her locker.

"Seriously, are you ok?" the jock asked, looking genuinely concerned, "You're absolutely white, you look like death warmed up. Christ, you're shaking like mad, are you ill? Do you need to sit down? I can take you somewhere quiet before homeroom; we can grab a drink of water at the fountain before we do."

Becca's stomach rumbled.

"I have a protein bar in my bag, one second," he started to reach into his backpack.

"Spencer, I'm fine thanks. I've eaten already; I think that the bacon hasn't digested properly."

"It's not that, you're porcelain."

"I'm fine, I'm sure it's nothing," she smiled at him.

"You sure?"

"Sure," she nodded, trying to lighten the mood, "It's not like you to be worried about me."

"Well if you're sure," Spencer frowned, "Just let me know if you need anything, ok?"

"I will," she nodded.

The homeroom bell rang.

"Right, I'll meet you at the usual spot for English. Give me a text if there's a problem, got it?"

"Yes doctor," Becca laughed jovially, "See you honey."

"Later baby."

Becca was glad homeroom was now; the girls wouldn't make any comments. Now she had assured Spencer, she knew that it would not happen again. Spencer was good for not prying, if she told him to shut up he did and vice versa. Smiling at her friends, she greeted them. Luckily for her, they were talking about Bree's boy drama (again) so everything worked out well.

The rest of the morning went smoothly, Spencer not saying a word in English about her paleness, though she did catch him looking at her a few times with concern.

At lunch she lied to her friends, saying she had some work to do. This was another lie, but an easy one as a lot of her girls were busy this semester due to it being the middle of senior year. They dismissed it with ease, wishing her well and promising to see her later. Becca scurried to the library to do some research for her English work, sitting alone against the throngs of nerds who called it their sanctuary during lunch.

Her head kept going back to Harvard, the inevitable letter of rejection appearing in her mind.

 _We are sorry to inform you..._

 _There were many wonderful applicants this year, but we could not admit them all..._

 _We were impressed with your application and wish you all the best for the future, but that will not be a Harvard..._

 _Feel free to apply in the future..._

 _Unfortunately we cannot give individual feedback to every individual..._

Flashing back to reality, she continued to work hard. Seeing that lunch had nearly ended, she swapped her books out from her locker and headed to the bathroom. Sinking into the stall, she felt her chest sharpen and something rise up in her mouth. Jumping off, she thought for a second that she was going to vomit but realised it was just a sharp cough. Clearing her lungs, she realised it was probably the waft of spray that she had walked through on the way to the bathroom.

At the sink, she washed her hands before staring at herself in the mirror. All the foundation and concealer on her face couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes from many sleepless nights. Her eyes were blurry and watery, liquid leaking out of her bottom lids. Moving them away with a swift hand, she reapplied her now smudged mascara and eyeliner. Looking downwards, she stared at her hand and held it. Instead of being steady as a rock, it was shaking like a leaf. Gulping, Becca looked back in the mirror.

 _You must be perfect, strive for perfection. You can catch up on sleep and food but you can't catch up on Harvard. The makeup can hide the circles, it's all good. Stay calm, stay focused. Nobody can know you're stressed, you have to remain untouchable. Stay perfect, stay perfect Becca. Don't let the facade break, your mask has to stay on._

Realising she probably looked like a freak to those surrounding her in the bathroom; she got her bearings together to head to history. Knowing that Spencer would get worried if she didn't meet at the usual spot, she arrived at the recycling bin where they usually met before class.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she felt as though her body was on vibrate, but she managed to cool herself down as Spencer rounded the corner.

"Ready to learn about the Franco-Prussian war?" Spencer asked, putting an arm around Becca.

"As always."

Spencer was worried about Becca, there was something wrong and he just could not put his finger on it. He could sense there was something that was really eating her, he was like a cadaver dog except that he could sniff out that there was something wrong with his best friend. He was smart enough not push it, mainly because he could tell Becca would avoid talking about it at any costs. There wasn't just the fact she looked like a walking cadaver, it was just the way she acted. She was more reserved than she usually was, avoiding social situations and kept fidgeting, looking away from people as though looking at them would turn her to stone.

Spencer would figure it out somehow, but right now he was going to keep an eye on her to make sure that if something happened, he would ensure that he was right there for her.

They were the last in the classroom, Becca walking in front of him. As soon as Mr. Schuester looked up from his desk, he looked concerned.

"Becca, are you ok? You look really sick."

"Thank you, that's what I said this morning," Spencer enunciated, throwing his arms out, "See Hamilton, I told you that you didn't look ok."

"I'm fine," she managed to mumble.

"Are you sure?" Mr. Schue asked, starting to rise, "I think you should go to the nurse, you're extremely pale."

"It's nothing, I'm sure."

Suddenly stopping, she clutched the edge of the front table to steady herself, feeling herself go unsteady.

"Hamilton?" Spencer asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just felt a bit off for a second- I'm fine, really, I'm fine. Let's just get on with class."

The second she let go of the table, a second and even worse bout of dizziness waved over. Taking a couple of steps, she felt her vision go out of whack. Stumbling slightly, the last thing she saw was her classmates looking worried before everything went black and she crashed to the ground.

 **Ooh, that was a tense one!**

 **I was going to make this a fluffy birthday chapter, but I couldn't write it well and I just didn't think that it would move the story along all that well. This to me was better, as it showed Becca's inner demons and how her friends' success effects that.**

 **Next Time: Becca comes back round, a trip to the nurse leads to some secrets being spilled and Ryder gives comfort.**

 **Thanks again, don't forget to review and see you next time xx**


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMED**

 **Thanks for the support as always xxx**

 **Chapter 15**

Becca opened her eyes slightly, seeing four blurred figures hovering over her. When those figures came into focus, she saw that Mr. Schuester, Aimee, Jordan and Spencer were there. Spencer and Schue were kneeled on either side, whilst the Cheerios were stood behind in shock. After a few moments and a lot of blinking, the blurriness subsided and she could finally see clearly. She finally felt as though her vision was normal after the dizziness and blackness.

"Hey, hey, get up slowly, steady," Spencer put one hand on her lower back and the other in hers, gently bringing Becca up, "Don't get up so fast, and take your time. How are you feeling?"

"A bit...confused. How long was I out for?"

"About a minute, the rest of the class is next door," Mr. Schue told her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Stay on the ground, here, we put your bag under your legs so that the blood would travel back to your brain. Do you feel better now you'd woken up?"

"I guess, still waking up but I don't feel too bad," Becca responded.

"Drink, now" Spencer held out her water bottle, "Get it all down you."

Becca did as obliged, seeing that Spencer had covered her bottom half with his letterman in order to maintain her dignity- that was sweet. Aimee and Jordan remained slightly further away, obviously having been told to step back. There was no way that Mr. Schue would have got them or Spencer to leave the room, so allowed them to stay so that she had some comfort upon waking. She seemed ok so far, a simple passing out spell as opposed to anything more serious. Looking around, Becca noted all of their different faces. Spencer's hand hadn't left her back, which worried Becca because her best friend was really not the sentimental type. Maybe her fainting brought out the sentimental, protective type in him.

"So what like actually happened? I mean I know I passed out, but how did it happen?"

"You went dizzy and held onto the table," Aimee informed her from the back, "You said you were fine and let go, but when you did that you only managed a few steps before you stumbled and went out cold. Mr. Schue ushered everyone next door and Jordan put the bag under your legs. As soon as you were down Spencer covered you with his letterman. It was really fast, the class had only just left the room before you woke up."

"It was super scary," Jordan added, "You went straight down like a ragdoll. We're glad you're awake and feeling better, if it's only just a little bit."

"Thanks girls," Becca smiled.

"Can you think what caused this?" Mr. Schue asked.

Becca shook her head mutely, knowing exactly what it was but not wanting to say.

"Well, you need to get to the nurse anyway, I'm sure she'll be able to patch you up. Just get up slowly, alright?"

Spencer helped Becca back up, draping his letterman back around her and carrying her backpack in one hand. She bade a weak goodbye to Mr. Schue and the girls as she was assisted out of the room, half dragged by Spencer. If he was a bit more dramatic, he would have carried her. As soon as they were out of earshot, Spencer turned around.

"What the hell happened back there?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Becca shot back.

"You were the one who fainted...holy shit are you knocked up?"

"No, no," the blonde shook her head wildly, "Believe me, I would know. The body is like clockwork. I don't know what it is though, even if I'm the one who fainted."

"You scared the crap out of me. One minute you were talking and the next you were on the floor, it was terrifying. Everyone in the room just froze before Mr. Schue told them all to get next door immediately, it was super sudden. Jordan's idea about the bag was good, she was super quick. I said you looked like crap but you said you were fine- I told you."

"Spencer, not in the mood," Becca snapped.

The walk to the nurse's office was then silent, Spencer's arm tight around Becca's waist to keep her from falling over. She felt better now that the fainting was over, but her stomach still gurgled with hunger and she wished that she could just fall asleep in the middle of the corridor. Spencer did feel smug about the fact he was right that Becca wasn't herself, but that was diluted by the fact that she clearly had something wrong with her. His heart had nearly leapt out of his chest when his best friend crumbled in front of him, her legs collapsing beneath her. At this point she was so pale and groggy that she looked like a walking corpse, her face waxen with concern. He was terrified that she would fall again.

Spencer allowed Becca into the nurse's office first, though he still kept a strong arm around her. Nurse June looked up from her desk to see the teenagers enter.

"What do we have here then?" she asked.

"A fainter," Spencer nodded at his best friend.

"Oh dear, that's no good sweetheart," Nurse June took her by the shoulders, "I think you better sit down. Becca, isn't it?"

She nodded as Spencer helped her onto the bed, his arm remaining around her.

"Right, why don't you tell me what happened Becca?"

"I walked into class and felt a bit unsteady on my feet. I grabbed the desk, thought that I was ok, let go then I went to the floor. It was all a blur, I can't really remember it. They said I was out for about a minute."

"How have you felt today?"

Knowing it was not wise to lie to the nurse, Becca decided to be honest, "I haven't felt all that great. I've felt tired, shaky and just cannot concentrate. There have been a few moments today where I've felt dizzy, but not to the point where I passed out like now."

"Do you have a history of fainting?"

"No ma'am."

"Any medical conditions that you're aware of, like diabetes?"

"No, nothing."

"Ok, let's get your blood pressure then we can work out what's caused all of this. Try to relax dear."

Becca took a few deep breaths, resting her arm as Nurse June checked her score. She then took her stethoscope to check her heartbeat.

"Ok, your blood pressure is 80/50 which is low, but not low enough to be worried. You just fainted, so your blood pressure will be on the lower side so it's hardly a surprise. If it was a much different reading, then I'd be worried. Heartbeat is steady, all is fine. So, now we're going to have to see what's caused this little spell. So you have no history of fainting, low blood pressure or any medical conditions. Are you up to date on shots?"

"Yes."

"No heavy drinking, smoking or drug taking, illegal or otherwise?"

"No."

"Alright, so we don't believe it's anything medical. What have you had to eat in the past twenty four hours?"

Becca looked down, avoiding her eyes. Fidgeting slightly, she bit her lip as she maintained a perfect silence to protect herself.

"Hamilton?" Spencer prodded his voice hard.

"Nothing," she managed to squeak out.

"Nothing?" he asked, eyes wide, "What the hell?"

"When did you last eat?" Nurse June asked.

"I had a pie and an apple at lunchtime yesterday, but nothing since."

"Well I think we have an answer," the nurse told her sadly.

"You're not on one of those stupid Cheerios diets are you?" Spencer asked harshly, "I swear to God if you're starving yourself for a stupid cheerleading competition, I am going to go absolutely ape shit on whoever is pressuring to do it. I knew it, I knew those diets were dangerous; I was always worried Katie would be influenced but I thought you would be more sensible. What the hell were you thinking? You don't need to diet, you look absolutely fine and even if you didn't, there are safer ways to do it than going all anorexic. I get it's a condition, but I am not about to watch you stop eating. You're my best friend; you should have come to me about this."

"It's not that," Becca managed weakly.

"Then what is it?" he asked.

"I don't have the time."

"Hamilton, there are several designated times in the day for you to eat, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I have to study!" she eventually yelled back.

There was silence in the room.

"I can't lose my grades, not now- I have to be perfect for Harvard; I cannot lose my grades now. If my grades slip they'll rescind my decision, that is if I get in. If I do get in, then I need to make sure that I know how to keep all my scores and tests high so that I can do well there, it's practice for how hard it is going to be there. There's no time for eating, I have to make sure I know everything, there's just too much to learn. I can't sleep because I'm worried; I just keep it in my mind. I'm just not hungry, I can't eat when II have to study."

That's when she broke down, all the stress that had built up now leaving her body in the form of angry tears.

"I feel so stressed, the weight is killing me. I have to be perfect, I have to do this- I can't fail this, I can't fail myself after all this work. I've always been the best, I have to get into Harvard or else I've failed everyone. Everyone expects me to get in, I can't let everyone down. I want it so much; I want it more than anything. I've been so good; I've worked hard and pleased God. I've prayed so hard, I can't be let down right now. Harvard is everything to me, it's all my self-worth. If I don't get in, then I'm not as good as I thought I was. I can't sleep, I keep having nightmares about failing and it's scary, I don't want to be scary. I want to be the best, I have to be the best- I've always been the best, I can't fail like this. If my grades slip then I won't be valedictorian, I've spent my whole high school career preparing to graduate top of the class, I can't be anything less then. I need to be perfect, I need to be perfect."

She was hysterically sobbing at that point; her face red raw and her eyes squinted close together. There was no way she could say anymore as she leant against Spencer, who instinctively put his arms around her protectively. He stroked her hair as she babbled incoherently against his chest, Nurse June sitting there in front as though she had seen it all.

"Hamilton, everyone is proud of you whether you get into Harvard or not."

"It's my dream," she sobbed, "It's the best; I have to be the best."

"Being the best doesn't mean starving yourself and becoming an insomniac."

"I can't do anything, I have to do everything right. I have to be the best, I have to be. I need the time to be perfect; I can't be laid back when I go to grad school. There can't be any mistakes; I need to keep As and A+s in everything to keep my average. I have to be valedictorian; I cannot be anything less than top. I have to do everything right."

At that, she burst into tears yet again, sobbing incoherently against her best friend.

"Hey, calm down, calm down," Spencer patted her back, "Take a deep breath. Why didn't you tell me this sooner? I'm your best friend; we're supposed to tell each other everything. You could have come to me with absolutely anything, you know that. This is the kind of thing I'm here for."

"I couldn't, I had to make sure I didn't upset anyone."

"We wouldn't be upset, just worried," Spencer rubbed her shoulder, "You don't need to bottle things up- hey, you should be so proud of yourself. You're actually applying into Harvard and have a real shot of getting in, nobody else is. Even if Harvard says no, you could still go to Caltech or UPenn and they're _really_ prestigious schools. UPenn is an Ivy League! Surviving nearly all AP classes, being a National Merit Scholar, getting a near perfect SAT score and captaining a cheerleading team to a national victory is not easy. Even if you had no prospects, nobody would be ashamed of you. You wouldn't upset me by telling me your problems. Look, I know I'm not so great with the emotional stuff but Ryder is. He'd be there for you."

"I can't be a burden, I can't be weak, I have to be the best," she babbled.

"You keep saying that, but I don't think you really know what it means," he told her, "Being the best doesn't mean getting the top grades or the most prestigious schools. It's great, but it's not being the best if you are avoiding eating and sleeping in the name of studying. I don't know how much more you can learn anyway, you already know practically everything."

"Not enough," she whimpered, wiping her eyes with her sleeves.

"I've seen college stress in my years at this school, but I've not seen a student faint from hunger," Nurse June finally spoke, "I'm going to speak to Mrs. Pillsbury so that she can talk to you, this is the kind of thing she can help you with."

"I can handle it."

"Yeah, that's clearly the case," Spencer snorted.

"I also don't think that you're going to faint again, but I'd rather send you home for the afternoon."

"You can't, I have perfect attendance," Becca yelped.

"If I make sure your attendance is taken, will it make you happy?"

"Fine," the blonde huffed, knowing that she wouldn't win this argument.

"Alright, I'm going to give you some cookies to eat, please eat something substantial when you get home and ensure that you get hydrated as well. Is it best to call your mother or your father to pick you up?"

"My aunt has the day off from work; she's on my contact sheet."

"Awesome, you eat these cookies dear and I will telephone your aunt."

She handed Becca the packet before going off to call Wendy. Becca offered Spencer one from the packet, but he shook his head.

"It's not like you to say no to food, you'd usually rip it out of my hand first."

"You need it."

"I really got your worried there, didn't it?"

"Well you worried me, I nearly shit my pants when you fainted," he put an arm around her, "Just tell me next time, ok? Also, if you tell anyone I was soft..."

"You'll kick my ass?"

"Bingo."

Nurse June walked back in, "Your aunt is on her way, I suggest you get what you need from your locker then wait at the reception to get signed out. I am going to speak to Mrs. Pillsbury but I'd like to see you in a week to check on your physical health. Get back into your normal eating patterns, make sure you're getting regular sleep- don't stay on your phone and try to get the recommended amount of sleep."

"Ok, thank you very much for all your help nurse...oh wait. What am I going to tell people?"

"Just say that it was a little blood pressure drop, you can just say that yours is naturally low and it must have been tipped over the edge."

"Great, thanks."

"No problem dearie, look after yourself."

Becca nodded as she and Spencer left. It was a silent walk to her locker to collect all the books she needed, then to the office. When she arrived, Becca went up to the desk to tell the receptionist that she would be signing out, before dumping herself next to Spencer. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Sorry for not telling you before."

"Just tell me next time, ok? How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Good," he patted her hand, "Who do you want to know the truth?"

"You, Katie and Ryder, that's it."

Spencer nodded understandingly. Minutes later, the buzzer clicked and Wendy's voice came in the other end. The receptionist pressed a button to let her in.

"Oh my poor niece," Wendy rushed over, hugging the girl, "How are you feeling sweetheart?"

"I'm ok."

"Good," Wendy smiled, "Where do I need to sign you out?"

"Just there, you need some ID."

"Wait, what am I going to do with my car?" Becca wondered, "I'm not driving home."

"If you give us your license plate, we can get the janitors to clamp it until tomorrow morning," the desk lady told her, "Can you get a ride to school tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I will be, thanks."

After everything, Becca turned back to her best friend.

"I'll be straight here after school with Katie. Call or text if you need anything, make sure you eat properly so you don't faint again. We'll have some fun when you get back. You gonna be ok?"

She nodded, "Thanks for your help."

"No problem, look after yourself."

Becca followed Wendy to her aunt's car. They climbed in, not saying a word until they had driven out of the school parking lot and onto the main road.

"So what happened then?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Becca responded, laying her head against the rest, "I'm sure that the nurse told you everything anyway."

"She did, but I thought that you might want to talk about it."

"Well I don't," Becca responded shortly.

"Good, because that means that we are going to eat our feelings," Wendy pulled into the parking lot of the local McDonalds, "Full fat, the best food that the good Lord can give us. Now, what do you want? We're going to eat crap."

"You order for me then."

"Fine," they drove to the machine, "Hi, can I have two double cheeseburgers with two large fries and two chocolate milkshakes? Yeah, that's it thank you."

They sat in the parking lot, overlooking the road. Becca's phone beeped with a text and she reached into her pocket to read it.

Ryder: _Hey babe, Spencer told me what happened. I'll be straight over after school to see you. I love you Becs, more than anything, I'll make sure you're ok xxx_

Not in the mood to respond, she simply clocked her phone.

"So how are things with Ryder?" Wendy asked, having seen Ryder's name on Becca's phone.

"Great, it's always been great," Becca replied.

"Look, I can't imagine what it's like to be under pressure for an Ivy League college. When I was in high school, before all of the drug stuff, I got good grades, really good grades. In sophomore year, I was dreaming of great college- I wanted to be an economist. There was a chance, nothing as prestigious as you, but I had a chance. Somewhere like University of Washington, it's a good school. Then I threw my life away. Did I ever tell you how I got into drugs? No? Well, I was with some friends and someone gave me some weed. It was harmless, I mean weed can be dangerous but it's nothing on the hard stuff. I started smoking it every so often, it was the 80s, and loads of high school students did. Then it got more and more, with edibles and cocaine. I lost out on what should have been the best years of my life. There was no chance of me getting to UoW because I was too out of it to even apply. I just wanted a job where I could spend money on drugs. When I realised I wouldn't get that in Spokane, I hopped out to San Francisco to live like a hobo. You don't have a second chance to live your life. You're so young Becca, you're barely 18. Don't let the stresses of an idea keep you from living your life. You have what every girl wants- you're very pretty, extremely intelligent and have a great social circle. Harvard may seem like everything and though I cannot for a second imagine how stressed you are with everything, but you can't let this bring you down."

Becca didn't respond at first.

"Look, it was a little overreaction but I'm fine," she responded.

"You can keep with that line, but no one believes you, least of all me," Wendy replied, "I may not know you that well and that's on my life mistakes, but I do not believe for one second that you are handling things. Life can throw you curveballs and stress is a natural part of it. When you have all the responsibilities you have, then you can be stressed. You may not have had it as hard as homeless kids or inner city teens at risk of being shot, but you still have pressures. It's not comparable, but stress is the same for us all. It's ok not to handle things."

"I'm fine," Becca responded again.

"Fine, whatever you say," Wendy put her hands in the air, "You done? Good, I'll put all this in the trash than I'll take you home."

The drive home was in silence. Becca wasn't about to pour out any feelings to an aunt she barely knew, even though she did care for her relative. That mask would not slip, she was already kicking herself for breaking down in front of Spencer and Nurse June. What she didn't want was the aunt she'd known for around six months to come in acting like a mother hen.

Wendy understood, but still felt a little crushed that all the effort she had made was seemingly for naught. She still hated herself for upsetting her parents and brother, and she knew that would impact her relationships. For years she wondered if she had any nieces or nephews and was thrilled when she learned that she had. Becca was staring straight out the window with a poker face, her features expressing no feelings. Hands folded in her lap, she could not wait to be home so that she wouldn't have to go through this awkward bullshit.

Right now she wanted her boyfriend and the comfort of his arms.

They finally entered the Hamilton driveway.

"I'm going to stay until your parents get home."

"No, I'm ok," Becca responded immediately.

"Either way, I'd rather stay in case you faint again. I can fill your parents in. Don't worry, I know you want to be alone- go have a nap, the nurse said you hadn't slept. I'll let your friends in when they come, you go to rest."

"Thanks Auntie."

"No problem sweetheart," Wendy clapped her on the back, "I'll be watching _Modern Family_ reruns here if you want me, go rest now darling, your friends will be here before you know it."

Becca went upstairs, pulling her high pony out and changing into her much more comfortable sweats. Climbing into bed, she relished the creature comforts of her warm, cuddly blanket. She thought that she would find it difficult to fall asleep, but surprised herself by immediately out once her head hit the pillow.

The nap lasted over an hour, Becca woke up quickly. Laying there, she contemplated the day. She felt much better having eaten and slept, but her mind was still buzzing. Every part of her wanted to seize up like a robot to hide her emotions; she had spent her entire life building up the idea of herself being practically mystic. At school she was the gorgeous blonde cheerleader who walked the corridors with her head held high without a care in the world. She had worked very hard to cultivate that image and had no intention of losing it.

As she sat against her headboard, she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door slightly opened, Ryder's head poking in. Becca immediately perked up and scooted across the bed to enter his arms. Ryder lifted her up in his arms, one hand on her back and the other cradling her head. Her chin rested against his shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly around him. He moved his head slightly to capture her lips in a kiss.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better now I've rested and eaten, even better now I've seen you. Honest to God, you're the one person I have wanted to be here ever since I fainted. I mean Spencer is great and was unbelievably great but I just wanted you. My Aunt Wendy, well I still don't know her too well."

"You could have called me when you were in the nurse's office, I would have come straight there."

"I wouldn't have wanted to bother you."

"Hey, you are never a bother," Ryder looked deeply into her eyes, "You're my girlfriend, I'd walk through hell and back for you. Come on; let's get a bit more comfortable."

They shifted onto the bed, laying down. Becca cuddled against her boyfriend, the two tightly interwoven in a mass of limbs.

"Want to tell me what happened?"

"I just fainted, it was nothing major," she replied.

"Well from what Spencer tells me, you haven't eaten in a day and haven't slept because your mind is constantly on Harvard."

"I'm fine Ryder, it was just a spell."

"You can lie to a lot of people, but not me. I've known you for over a year and half, I can tell when you aren't ok. You can pretend to the world that you're this stoic figure, but you can let your guard down in front of me. I want you to just let it out so that I can help you because I love you."

At that, Becca broke down in tears. She sobbed against Ryder's chest, his arms locked around her. He didn't say a word, merely stroking her hair as she cried into his arms. It was silent for several minutes apart from Becca's very audible tears.

Finally, Ryder decided it was time to talk to her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were struggling?" he asked, "You could have."

"I just...I wanted to keep things together. If I could keep myself together and not tell anyone that I was stressed, then I could convince myself. For the longest time, I thought that being composed meant that I could win this. I just wanted to be that one person that everyone thought could handle everything, the one everyone was jealous of because they have their shit together. At McKinley, I have always been that popular cheerleader who never cracks. Plus, I just didn't want to burden anybody. I don't want to upset a single person through it. This doesn't feel like a real problem either, I hate myself for being so stressed about college when a lot of people in this world don't get a chance at something like this. I'm so jealous of the people who have gotten in where they wanted, but envy is a sin and I don't want to fail God."

"You're allowed jealousy Becs, do you think I'm not jealous of anyone?" Ryder played with her hair, "Everyone is stressed about college, not everybody gets into their first choice otherwise some colleges would be stuffed with people. Becca, you have to tell people when you're upset otherwise you'll never be able to cope with pain. No one can struggle alone. Harvard is a place that a lot of people work hard to get into and I do not want you to crash and burn. Imagine if you had been at cheerleading practice when you fainted, you could have been seriously injured if you'd landed the wrong way. Remember when I got concussion at the game? Well I wouldn't want to watch you be hurt like you had to watch me, the idea of you in pain breaks my heart. Whenever you're down, I want you to come straight to me so I can make you feel better. Promise me?"

"I promise," she replied weakly.

"I know that I'm not the one applying to Harvard, but is it really worth all of that stress? You're likely going to get into UPenn and Notre Dame, they're both really amazing schools. Harvard is amazing, but you still might be able to get into it for grad school."

"It's all I have wanted for years, ever since I knew what it was. I have designed my entire school life to have the best grades and academic experience. Harvard is the place where I want to go- it's more than just a college, it's one of the richest in the world and can offer so much. Famous people visit, you can network like hell and they have the best of everything. I can be the absolute best there, I can do so much. That could be the place that allows me to cause a rare disease or help struggling people. If it helps me be the best, then I can help other people. I want my life to be helping others, in science and in faith. Harvard can help me be that person. Oh and it's so amazing, the whole place is like a movie. Cambridge and Boston are beautiful, there's so much to do there like concerts and parades. It's my dream Ryder, to be a Harvard graduate."

"You can do all that without Harvard," he soothed.

"It's the best school Ryder and I am in a position where I have a shot at it, I cannot be the one to lose it. I hate the idea of that stupid sympathetic head tilt that people will do, when they say 'oh that's too bad' and 'Harvard is stupid to reject you anyway.' I want to be the one that everyone cheers for because I got into Harvard. I'm captain of the Cheerios, a National Merit Scholar, on honour roll and got a perfect SAT score. I need it to round me out."

"You're more than your SAT score. Becca, I love you. You are such a great person, the sweetest I know and you have the biggest heart. Academia doesn't define you, what your character is does. You are always willing to help people because you're so darn charitable, all those homeless people are always in your heart. Everytime I'm upset you always cheer me up, you've always been my number one cheerleader off the football field and on it. You are so good to your friends, a wonderful mentor to Katie. Everyone at school admires you so much because you're awesome but don't rub it in people's faces by being a bully or a bitch. Plus, I know I'm biased here, but you are so incredibly beautiful. That doesn't define you, but you are so beautiful. God made you beautiful inside and outside. Harvard isn't a defining factor because you could be headed anywhere and I would still love you more than anyone."

"You mean it?" she asked, tears still tinging her eyes.

"I mean every word."

"I love you too," she smiled back, "More than anything."

They kissed.

"This weekend, we'll do something- just me and you. You can stay over at mine or I can stay over at yours, I'm sure that your parents will be ok with it once we know. If the weather is nice, we can go on the trails or get an ice cream in the park. We won't talk about school or college, just about us. I want to treat you, make you feel better. You fancy it?"

"Of course," Becca agreed, "I want to spend time with you, I'm sorry that I haven't done too much of it lately, my head has been everywhere but there."

"That's ok," Ryder comforted, "Things are hard but they're going to get better now."

"They are."

 **Hi guys, hope that you enjoyed this one.**

 **Next Time: Frankly I haven't planned it so we'll have to see. What would you guys like?**

 **Thanks again and don't forget to pop a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter and any others xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMED**

 **WARNING: This chapter contains several references to Ryder's molestation, though I do not go into in detail. I thought it was fair to warn anyone in case it's an upsetting subject.**

 **Thank you for all your support as usual. We're in the home stretch now, with only about five or six chapters to go (or so I believe). We'll cover college stuff, prom, senior ditch day and graduation, with a surprise or two along the way ;) Let me know what you think will happen and what you'd like to see xxx**

 **Chapter 16**

"Black Santana Lopez, Barbie Girl, Nationals is fast approaching and we need to ensure that we have yet another consecutive win otherwise Sue Sylvester will be on my ass like a rash. You two can escape via graduation, but I am stuck in this job so I need to make sure that my Cheerios are up to scratch. As co-captains you have actually been fairly successful, but this needs to be big. The judges will have seen everything, so we need to show them something they've never seen. We need talent, skill and spectacle all in one. Whilst we have to be big, we have to have technique- we can't miss as much as a flip. So ladies, pitch me. We only have a few minutes before my staff meeting so I need you to get on it."

Bree and Becca looked at one another as Coach Washington glared at them from her seat. They'd been called in after practice, which they didn't get why that was happening, considering she'd told them they had only a few minutes. It was hardly enough time for them to get into an in-depth discussion about cheerleading nationals. Both wanted to be home anyway, practice had been tiresome and both were as exhausted as usual after a heavy session.

"Cheerleading is a team sport, so how about a routine that shows that off? We can still do the difficult individual stunts like a full layout twist and a double tuck," Becca suggested, "Lots of synchronicity, incorporating all the players and showing off chemistry. It ticks all the boxes."

"Maybe lay in a theme, like all Madonna or something," Bree added, "We can find remixes of the songs that are a bit more pumped up."

"I expect something less basic than that," Washington snapped, "They're rookie answers, not what I expect from co-captains of a Nationals winning team. You two both want to continue cheerleading in college, right? God help whoever has you, because they are baby answers. I don't want suggestions about chemistry and themes, I want a full on masterpiece blue print. What did I get? Stupid answers. By the end of the week, I want a perfect draft with everything I expect."

The girls blinked in response.

"What are you waiting for? World peace? Get your skinny asses out of my office."

The two grabbed their things and scrambled out of the room. As soon as they were out, they linked arms.

"God, that was intense," Bree stated.

"Now that is the understatement of the century babe."

"You know what else is intense? The guy that has been texting me," Bree whipped out her phone, "His name is Timothy, he's at the community college."

"Weren't you talking to the trainee chef?"

"Yeah but he turned out to be really annoying and he is obsessed with Pokémon, which, c'mon, is super weird for a guy his age. He still collects the trading cards, I'm not going anywhere near a sweaty virgin like that that. Timothy friended me on Facebook, we have a few mutual friends. He can actually keep up with me, but he can be super weird. Want to see?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No, duh," Bree opened her messages.

Becca allowed herself to be distracted by Bree's chaotic love life for a few minutes. After her breakdown and her subsequent admittance of her problems, she felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Whilst she was still stressed with school and scared about her Harvard acceptance, she at least felt that she could be more open about it. As promised, her friends had been by her side. She'd had a girlie day with Katie as well as a horror movie marathon with Spencer to clear her mind. The best had been with Ryder though. They'd hiked the trails, had a picnic up in the hills then returned home to Ryder's. His parents and sister had gone out for most of the evening, which meant they could go home to have passionate sex. Lying cuddled in his arms as he played with her hair, that had been the best.

"So do you think I should meet him?" Bree asked as they arrived at Becca's locker.

"Well, can you see yourself having sex with him?"

"Yeah, he seems like he can tide me over for graduation, he has less hours so we can meet up more," Bree grinned, "Plus he has his own place so that means we can hang out more. I can just tell my parents the usual crap about being at a friend's place or a party; they lap it up like a cat with milk. Now I'm eighteen and nearly graduated, I have so much more freedom. It's great. Summer will be nothing but sex, drinking and parties all week, every week."

She let out a smirk.

"Girl, I love you but you are the worst."

"Well, when you go to Heaven, put in a good word for me with the main man so you can drag me from the depths of Hell."

"You know I always pray for you."

"I'm sure God will overlook my lusty attitude then," Bree laughed, "I gotta go now, I'll see you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too loser," Becca did an air kiss.

She watched Bree skip away merrily, shaking her head at the sight of her leaving. Deciding which textbooks she needed, she was all alone with her thoughts until she heard two male voices come into earshot. Not bothered by it, though surprised some people were still inside the building, she didn't strain to listen.

They happened to stop in her corridor, talking casually. Only when one mentioned the Glee club did Becca turn around.

One was a tall guy with large lips and blonde hair, the other a bespectacled boy in a wheelchair. It took only a moment before Becca clicked- Sam Evans and Artie Abrams, aka the two that had laughed about Ryder's molestation. Well, they hadn't so much as laughed as thought that it was brilliant that he was touched up by a girl a lot older without his consent. She didn't know much about Sam, apart from that he had dyslexia like Ryder, but Artie had dated Kitty. That was no surprise; she couldn't imagine Kitty had much taste.

Double checking on Facebook allowed Becca the confirmation that she needed, though she had been pretty damn sure.

Now was the time to decide what she was going to do. The sight of them made her blood boil, the thought of them carelessly high fiving Ryder after confessing that he had been bodily violated at a young age made her want to punch them. Unfortunately, she did not know them at all which meant she had no way to approach this correctly. Still, even if they'd upset Ryder, maybe her telling them off would prevent it in the future. If two more people knew not to minimise sexual assault when the victim was a male and the predator was a female, then that would be a step in the right direction. God pushed her towards justice.

If Ryder was here, he'd tell her to leave it, not to bother. He didn't want fuss; he didn't want to talk to them about it.

Unfortunately, Ryder wasn't here and Becca was. Sure that nobody else was here so that they wouldn't hear his secret, she decided to go for it. They'd messed with her boyfriend and nobody messed with him. Bobby and Phil had learnt that, these two needed to as well. If he was mad at her, then he was. The thought of causing trouble briefly crossed her mind, before reminding herself both were aware of the facts and she was merely doing what should have been done two years ago. She knew exactly what she needed to do. Doing the cross motion against her chest for protection, she put her Queen Bitch smirk on and walked over.

"Excuse me?"

The two registered her arrival.

"Are you guys Sam Evans and Artie Abrams?" she asked.

"Yeah, we are," Sam answered, looking confused, "I'm sorry, do we know you?"

"Oh no, hi, I'm Becca Hamilton, I'm Ryder's girlfriend."

"Ah right, we've seen you on his social media," Sam acknowledged.

"Yeah, you guys were in Glee club with him two years ago, right?" she asked, "He is forever talking about the old Glee members, you're like rock stars to him and his friends."

Artie and Sam looked smug.

"You guys were also with him when McKinley had that power outage, weren't you?" her voice went from sickly sweet to ice cold, "When you were all singing confessions about your lives, when Ryder admitted that he was molested by his babysitter at 11 years old. She came into the shower to touch him in his private areas. From what I hear, you guys thought it was amazing, that there were all these 80s movies about it. You thought it was action, I recall Ryder telling me that you, Artie, said that he has 'superior game.' You high fived him, joked about it. May I ask what was so cool about Ryder being sexually assaulted, especially as a prepubescent?"

The two looked at her, stunned.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she cocked her head, "Do you guys have siblings?"

"A...A...A brother and a sister," Sam managed to stutter.

"So how would you feel if a trusted babysitter did that to your siblings? Would you be angrier if it was your sister who was molested, or your brother? I imagine you'd be equally angry. Even if Ryder had consented to what the sitter did, it would still be sexual assault of a minor because he was too young to consent. He also didn't consent; he was touched whilst in the shower by someone in a position of power and a lot older. It doesn't matter if Ryder was a boy touched by a girl, it's not cool and he certainly didn't show 'game' or whatever you called him. Hell, it doesn't matter what gender the victim is or who the perpetrator is, it's still disgusting. Do you ever consider why he never told anyone before you? First of all he was a terrified kid- do you know he has a sister? She was six at the time; he could have been scared for her. Second of all, it's because of people like you. People don't report it because maybe they could get killed for it, they're scared of the perpetrator, the shame of it and the fact that people do not take sexual assault seriously. Let me quote a favoured Bible verse, Revelation 21:4: 'And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.' God will protect and defend Ryder, and I believe that it is my duty to tell you both that you are the biggest dicks I may have ever met. The way you treated him was atrocious and though you didn't know it, you should not have said such vile things. You would not have said that if it was Marley or Kitty who had spoken up about a male aggressor, you would be baying for his blood."

Artie opened his mouth to speak, but Becca put a hand up.

"I'm not done yet. I forgive you for upsetting my boyfriend because as Jesus said: 'forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.' I think forgiveness is important, though I do not necessarily believe in 'forgive and forget.' I don't want your apologies; I want you to learn that it is not ok so that you do not directly or indirectly upset a sexual assault survivor in the future. Everyone in Glee looks up to you guys, so I don't think you're all bad- well, you dated Kitty but you had the good sense to break up with her. Just in future, know what you're saying."

The way that Sam and Artie looked at one another made it clear that they had finally come to light.

"We're sorry," Artie finally spoke.

"You shouldn't be apologising to me, you should be apologising to Ryder," Becca shook her head, "Did you know that one in four women will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime? That number is one in six for men. Maybe someone else in the room has been a victim, there's a good chance that they could be in the future."

"We've been jerks," Sam agreed, "If anyone touched Stevie or Stacey, I'd want to kill them."

"Yeah, we have," Artie nodded, "I thought Glee club had taught us to be better, but clearly not."

"Well I'm glad we're in agreement," Becca beamed, "Now I have to head home because I have lots of work to do. It was nice meeting you and I am glad things are cleared up."

She went to walk away, but then suddenly turned around in afterthought.

"One last thing. I know that you guys have graduated, but I am queen of this school. I ask guys to jump, they ask how high. Every girl wants to be me. You may not be at McKinley anymore, but I will willingly make your life a living hell if you upset my boyfriend again. Like I said, I believe in forgiveness but I will not forget. Understood?"

They both nodded silently.

"Aces," she grinned, before flouncing off with her hair flying behind her and a skip in her step.

Watching her leave, the two graduates looked at one another.

"We've been awful, haven't we?" Artie realised.

"Yep," Sam nodded, "And it took someone we barely know to tell us that. We are going to have to apologise, aren't we?"

"We are. We'll go speak to Ryder in person tomorrow, tell him how awful we've been. I think it's only fair that we do that."

-GROW APART-

 _Don't care what you did (yeah)_

 _As long as you love me (as long as you love me)_

 _Who you are (who you are)_

 _Where you're from_

 _What you did_

 _As long as you love me_

 _Who you are (who you are)_

 _Where you're from (where you're from)_

 _As long as you love me_

 _Who you are_

 _As long as you love me_

 _What you did (I don't care)_

 _As long as you love me_

Everyone clapped as KJ and Mason finished their song, going to sit down. Mr. Schuester went back up into the middle of the floor, still applauding.

"Nice guys, I am so impressed with your harmonies. Harry Styles better watch out, because we have the best boy band crooners in town here! See, we can all learn from the harmonies that KJ and Mason have given us because they were amazing. Ok, that is it for this week. Thank you to our guests Artie Abrams and Sam Evans for their help. They are National Champs so they know what it takes to get to the gold. Boston is not that far away and I really want to see some of our seniors get to win before we go. You are all a really talented bunch and with our set list, we have one of the biggest shots that we've had of winning. Keep practising because we will be starting to rehearse for Nationals and Nationals ONLY from Monday onward. I hope you all have good weekends and if you have any questions, please shoot me an email. Onwards and upwards!"

Everyone started to leave. Looking at one another, Sam and Artie knew that it was their chance.

"Hey, Ryder!" they called.

The teenager froze, turning around slowly.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk to you in private?" Sam asked.

Jake, who was standing next to Ryder, looked to his best friend.

"You go ahead, still on for midday Call of Duty tomorrow?"

"Of course, see ya then," Jake smiled forcibly, remembering what had happened with Sam and Artie. The younger Puckerman then headed off, not before giving one last concerned look over that way.

Once Jake had left earshot, Ryder decided to talk to them.

"What do you need?"

"I think we need to sit down for this. Well, I don't, I'm always sitting," Artie joked, trying to lighten the mood with a light chuckle. It didn't work, as Ryder just stared at him as though he was mentally deficient. Still, the tall teen did as asked and sat with them.

"So what is this?" Ryder asked.

"It's us saying sorry," Sam told him plainly.

"For what?"

"You know what," Artie replied, watching as Ryder's face went from confused to stone cold.

"I really don't want to talk about this-ʺ

"Wait, stop," Sam put a hand on Ryder's shoulder to stop him from getting up and leaving, "Just let us speak. We're sorry for all the shit we said when you told us what happened with the babysitter. We were just so insensitive; we were caught up in the idea of a young guy getting it on with a hot teen girl. For us, it just sounded so cool but what we didn't realise was that you didn't ask for any of it and it didn't matter that it was a girl, you were still sexually assaulted. It was stupid."

"Yeah, that whole 'superior game' thing was bullshit," Artie agreed, "We were idiots, we didn't understand. Thankfully, we have seen the light and realised that apologising is the best thing to do. We can't take back what we said; we just hope that you're good enough to forgive us for being the most inconsiderate assholes on the planet."

"We're sorry man. If that had been one of the girls, we would have been disgusted but instead we thought it was the coolest thing. Can you forgive us for what we did?"

They both looked at Ryder hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah. It wasn't out of malice; you were just a bit ignorant. You've learnt now that it wasn't ok and I guess I can't begrudge you for that. It'll still always hurt, but that's the kind of thing that happens, life sucks," Ryder smiled gently at them, "At least you know for the future."

"For sure," Sam nodded rapidly.

"We promise we'll be better in the future," Artie smiled in an assuring manner.

"If you don't mind me asking, what sparked this change?"

"Your girlfriend is pretty scary," Sam shuddered.

"Becca?" Ryder frowned, "What has she got to do with it?"

"Yesterday she kind of came up, politely introduced herself then told us off for what we said to you. In short terms, she gave us a lecture about sexual assault, told us that people keep quiet because of reactions like this, quoted the Bible, told us she forgives us, made sure that we're better in the future then finished it off by threatening to make our lives a living hell if we upset you again," Artie recounted, "Apart from that, she seemed nice enough."

"She's actually pretty hot," Sam added, receiving a withering death glare from Ryder and an eye roll from Artie.

"She did that?" Ryder asked.

"Yeah, she really cares for you," Artie told him, "You're a lucky guy."

"She is the best, I love her a lot."

"Well, we'll let you get off," Sam clapped him on the back, "We good man?"

"Yeah," Ryder agreed, "We're definitely good."

"I think we should make it a man hug," Artie waved his arms, "Bring it in."

The three hugged, leaving the choir room together. Ryder waved them goodbye to them before taking things from his locker. Though they couldn't take back what they said, but he had the closure of knowing that they no longer thought those things. It brought him a sense of peace, though he would have to live with the initial assault for the rest of his life. Two less people would be judgemental and ignorant about sexual assault, which would mean them making an effort to learn about what really happened. He was glad, because he genuinely saw Sam and Artie as his friends, two of the leaders of Glee club when he was a sophomore.

He could imagine Becca telling them off, like she had with Bobby and Phil. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face at the thought of his petite girlfriend telling off two guys she didn't know. Ryder was lucky with Becca, as she was a fairly easy-going girlfriend, but he couldn't deny that he wasn't extremely impressed and a little turned on.

Deciding that he wanted to see her, he decided to drive to hers instead of home. He wanted to thank her for sticking up for him, as she always had. Becca had been incredibly understanding about his reasons for waiting for them to have sex, happy to wait for him to be ready and careful as to how she was around him when they were touchy. It had been so worth it because his first time had been incredible, both emotionally and physically. Ryder felt much more liberated now, their sex life being pretty good. No longer did he fear physically intimacy as he had once done, he was now totally comfortable. He had only been with Becca, but felt that any future relationships would be much more relaxed.

Maybe it sounded stupid, but he'd liked her from the moment he'd first met her.

 _Flashback_

 _It was the first day of junior year and Ryder was already struggling with his chemistry work. Only two more years and he would be free of all this confusing science. Stood in the corridor, he bent over a textbook in order to work out what his teacher had talked about in the lesson. Squinting, he still felt incredibly confused. It would be another year without an A._

 _He only planned to look up for a second but that didn't go to plan. Across the hall from him was one of the most attractive girls he'd ever seen. Petite with beautiful blonde hair and sweet blue eyes, she also had one pretty amazing figure, looking sensational in her Cheerios uniform. He'd never seen her before; she had to be new to the school._

 _His heart stopped when he realised she was looking at him- well, she was even SMILING at him. Getting over the shock of the beautiful girl looking at him, his mouth turned into a shy smile as well. Neither moved to make conversation, the Cheerio keeping eye contact with him until she disappeared around the corridor. His heart began beating again as he wondered who she was. She looked too old and confident to be a freshman, so she was at least a sophomore. It didn't matter to Ryder, because he was shocked._

 _Spanish class came and went, with Ryder unable to concentrate on practicing nouns. His mind was totally on her. She could be a total bitch, but he just felt something with her. This girl had stunned him, she was really hot. She was maybe even better looking than Marley._

 _Ryder was relieved when class was over. Though he found math the hardest, he liked Mrs. Brien as she'd helped him a lot last year with his numbers. He was better now after the diagnosis, but still struggled. Waltzing into 8C, he greeted Mrs. Brien with a smile and pleasantries about the summer. He then turned around to look at where to sit._

 _As luck would have it, there she was. Seated next to an empty seat, the blonde cheerleader sorting out her things. Maybe luck was on his side this time. Taking a deep breath, he walked over._

" _Is this seat taken?"_

 _End of flashback_

He smiled at the memory as music blasted in his car. Maybe it would have been wise to call ahead to see if she was home, but he just wanted to see his girlfriend. The ride was without issue, allowing Ryder to smoothly park outside of her home. As he got out, he noticed that Becca's car was in the drive but her parents' weren't. He imagined both were at work.

Going up, he rang the doorbell. Becca soon came flying down the stairs, a huge beam of excitement on her face when she saw that it was him. As soon as she was downstairs, she practically ripped the door open off its hinges.

"Hi," she beamed, "Come on in."

"I'm not intruding?"

"I just finished drying my nails, so you're lucky," she closed the door behind him; "Do I get a kiss?"

"What kind of man would I be if I denied such a request to such a beautiful woman?" Ryder teased.

"The worst kind," Becca teased back, sticking her tongue out as Ryder pulled her closer. Her boyfriend laughed in response as they launched into the kiss, Becca going up on her tiptoes against the much taller boyfriend, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Never gets old."

"I know- to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I thought I'd let you know that Artie and Sam came to me with a fairly grovelling apology about what they said to me."

Becca went back down on normal feet, in shock.

"You're not mad?"

"Of course I'm not mad. You scared the shit out of them, but most importantly, you helped them realise stuff. What they said, it's never going to be taken back, but they won't upset anyone again because they know how to act. They know what they said and thought was wrong, it will make two fewer people ignorant about the truth behind sexual assault. More than that, I'm happy that we cleared the air because we're friends. I feel better now. Thank you, thank you so much. You stood up for me, strong against guys you didn't know just because you knew it was just and you wanted to protect me."

"I don't want anyone hurting my best guy. I love you more than anything and I don't want you to feel hurt because of what they said. What happened to you, it hurt you. I can't imagine what her molesting you felt like or what it did to you, but I know it affected to you. Nobody should be scared of physical intimacy, nobody deserves such pain. Like you said, we can't change what happened. On her dying day, the sitter will kneel before God and receive the Almighty's punishment. All we can hope for is freshness and that you receive closure from the pain you received."

"I love you Becs," he kissed her soft knuckles, "I never thought I'd love anyone like I love you, but I do. Before you, I pined for a girl I realise now was never the one and was just a fading attraction. Marley is great, but you're just the cherry on top of the sundae. All you've done for me; it makes me feel so damn happy. You're the top babe."

"Ooh you make me blush," Becca joked, "How can I outdo you?"

"With great difficulty."

"Instead of doing a long winded speech, I just say this- I love you a hell of a lot and you mean the entire world to me."

"Good enough for me babe. When are your parents back?"

"Not for several hours, they're still at work, why?" Becca asked, pressing her chin against his chest.

"I think I have an idea of something we can do."

Ryder went forward, picking Becca up and spinning her around. She squealed excitedly as he did so, immediately knowing that he planned to do. They kissed passionately all the way up the stairs until they stumbled into Becca's room, her nearly falling down and him close to hitting his head on the low doorway. The two laughed at that, Becca unable to stop giggling as she unbuttoned Ryder's trousers. After some stumbling and laughter, the two fell into a blissful state of sex.

After a while, both went to a stop. Becca went out to go the toilet but as soon as she came back in, she clambered into Ryder's arms.

"I wish this could last longer."

"If you're happy to continue..."

"Boy, you tired me out," she slapped his chest, "I am in no mood for more, I will be sleeping like a baby tonight. Stay for dinner if you want, my parents will be out til late and I can make tortillas. Then we can do our homework together."

"You had to lower the tone by talking about homework," Ryder complained, rolling Becca on top of him so that her long hair was tickling his nose.

"You gave me the element of surprise; you can't expect me to slack now."

"Ugh fine, but only because I love you."

Becca only giggled sweetly in response, rightly wishing that the moment would never end.

 **Hi guys, hope you enjoyed it. I wanted a filler chapter inbetween this and the next one, and thought it would be respectful to tackle the subject as it was not in the original TV show.**

 **Next Time: Becca gets the decision she's been waiting for. Will she get into Harvard or is it curtains for her Ivy League dreams?**

 **Thanks again and don't forget to review to tell me what you thought of it xxx**


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMED- Thanks again for the usual brilliant response xxx**

 **Chapter 17**

Becca sat, cross legged on her bed, everything she needed for her AP exam prep. It would be hard, but she was sure that she would get perfect 5s as she had every year since she'd started. Well, she hope she would and was working as hard as she could for them. Becca's legendary flash cards were out, this time covering the Mexican-American War. If anyone knew how to study, it was Becca, who had a study guide that rivalled everyone else- flashcards, folders, colour coded sections and beautiful timelines. All of that was spread across the bed, containing everything they needed for AP History.

Things were better since she'd told everyone about what had happened. There had been movie nights with Spencer, girly days with Katie and fun dates with Ryder. She liked those the most because it was when she was happiest and most relaxed, in the arms of her loving boyfriend. Since both were in a good mood, their sex life was best. Becca didn't complain- great sex followed her by lying in his arms, her hair being played with and Ryder telling her how much he loved her all the time. She loved him too; he was just so supporting and loving. There was nothing much more he could do apart from be around her. College would be tough, being away from him- they really did need to discuss that.

Just as she was about to go onto her folder, she got a tingle from her phone. Whenever any of her colleges emailed, she got a notification from her mail box. Going onto her cell, she saw that it was from Harvard.

 _Dear Rebecca,_

 _There is an update on your Application Status Portal. Please log in and look for the_ _ **Status Update**_ _to view your most recent letter._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Harvard College Admissions_

 _Oh shit._

"I need to go on the portal," she mumbled to herself. Her hands were shaking and she felt sicker than a pregnant woman on a boat in choppy waters. Her nerves were in tatters as she slowly realised that this was it, this was the moment that she had been waiting for. Everything in her academic career had come down to it, every test and every grade. She'd not gotten below an A in high school; everything was designed for it, from extra curriculars to prizes. Becca remembered when she first learnt what Harvard was and she'd had her eyes on the prize.

It was hitting her now. She'd gotten into some great schools, but this was all she wanted. She didn't know how many times she'd looked at Harvard accommodation, causes and what life was like in snowy Boston. Before senior year, Becca had been the most prepared person for her application. Her nerves had been at an all time high when her interview had come along, though she felt afterward it had gone well.

This was the email that would make or break her, the email that had haunted her dreams for six months. This college was the one who held all her dreams in their hands. Becca felt utterly terrified right now, nothing scared her as much as they did.

However, Harvard was the dream. If she didn't get into Harvard, she'd decided that it was definitely Caltech, with UPenn a somewhat distant third. Still, Harvard, it was classed as one of the best universities in the world, up there with the likes of Oxford and Cambridge, or home-grown places such as Yale or Princeton. She'd considered applying for Princeton, but had decided against it.

She'd looked up on some student blogs, and it seemed that there was a slow trickle of letters. Some were acceptance, but mostly rejection- their acceptance rate was in the single figures, much lower than the good majority of colleges. She'd driven Spencer, Ryder and the others crazy with her constant whining and worrying. Nearly every spare minute was spent refreshing her e-mails, whether at cheer practice, lunch, or just walking the corridors. Everyone assured her that she'd get in, but that was just them being nice, she guessed. Spencer had told her at least five times a day that her grades alone were a good jumping point, with all of her extra-curriculars helping out. She whined more than five times a day, with Spencer just rolling his eyes at most of it. She'd been good around the girls, but had bombarded Ryder with texts every day, especially at the first sign of replies.

Going onto the portal, there was a message and a hyperlink to her admissions decision.

" _I can't open it," she was shaking, "I can't."_

Her hands were shaking, but she knew that she had to do it. A trembling finger went down onto the link, her eyes squeezed shut as it loaded.

The crimson banner at the top had not leaded, leading Becca to look down at the email.

 _Dear Miss. Hamilton,_

 _I am delighted to inform you that the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid has voted to offer you a place in the Harvard Class of 2019. In accordance with Harvard tradition, a certificate of admission is enclosed. Please accept my personal congratulations for your outstanding achievements._

It was all she needed as she looked up sharply.

"I got in," she whispered to herself.

It took several seconds to kick in before she realised- she would be attending Harvard, the best college in the world. It was the home of world leaders, Noble Laureates and pioneers of industry. She, a girl from the middle of Ohio, had been accepted to study at their prestigious institution. Everything she'd worked her butt off since kindergarten for had come true. Becca didn't care that others didn't do studying like she did; she had done absolutely everything she had needed to do in order to achieve the one goal she had- be the best.

Letting out a cathartic scream, she kicked her legs on the bed and danced around the room. Unable to control her joy, she bounced out of her room, dancing/jumping around the house. Room to room, she spun around and let her long blonde hair go flying around. Taking a daring action after she'd done the top floor, she slid down the staircase and landed perfectly on the landing floor. Continuing, she moved around happily.

Singing to herself, she opened the doors to the garden and began a series of gymnastics. Cartwheeling and flipping freely, she used her Cheerio skills to release all the pent up energy that she was feeling. Everything felt amazing as she somersaulted against the spring grass, sun beating down. If she was in a movie, they'd be playing some sort of mood music in the background.

Back in the house and she collapsed on the sofa with sheer joy/ exhaustion. Right now, she caught her breath, but was absolutely desperate to tell someone. She couldn't keep it in any longer or she would explode.

Her parents were at a fair the next county over with friends and though she wanted them to know first, she also wanted it to be in person. That left only one person: her best friend. She picked up the phone, but then realised she wanted to tell him in person.

Becca exited the house, practically skipping to the car parked on the side of the pavement. Entering, she immediately headed off, seatbelt on, barely able to contain her excitement. She couldn't speed of course, but she wished that she could just get there as quickly as possible. Spencer's house was only about five to ten minutes, depending on traffic. Luckily for her, there wasn't much at that time, so she managed to get there quickly.

Sliding outside his house, she practically rushed over to the door.

Spencer walked out as soon as she knocked. Seeing that it was her, he indicated that she could enter- the door was unlocked.

"Guess what? Guess what?"

"What?"

"I GOT IN!"

Spencer's eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, of course I am!" she practically shrieked.

"Alright!" he held out his arms, "Come here."

"I thought you didn't do hugs."

"I'll make an exception, I'm proud of you. Come on, do you want it or not?"

She practically ran over and jumped on him. Well, she did run, but no jumping. The hug was only brief, but Becca quickly came to the conclusion that it was a rather good one. Spencer, not an emotional guy, only responded to hugs when he was forced into them by family members. He didn't even hug Alistair, unless it was a quick, one-armed thing.

"Seriously though, I'm very proud. It's not every day your best friend gets into Harvard. Sure, it was inevitable really, but still. I'm really very proud."

"Aw thanks. It's not every day your best friend is a sentimental sweetheart."

"Don't push it," he laughed.

"Yeah, you're still a dick."

"And you're still a bitch, but here we are."

They did a double high five.

"Me and you are totally going drinking this weekend, somewhere out of town where we can have a complete blast to celebrate."

Spencer and Becca both had one, as did the good majority of the popular crowd. Becca had hers- her name was Rosie Harris, aged 22, whilst Spencer was 23 year old Jack Warren. Spencer looked older and Becca could just about make it to looking legal age, especially in the right make-up. There was a place not far from Lima that was known for selling it to girls (and sometimes guys) who could flirt. That was the usual place- the owner knew what was going on, that they were all McKinley students, but didn't give a shit because it was good business. It was Cody Lewis' choice for parties, where he'd hop in the car with four or five of his friends to get a load. At this point, the owner just stopped asking for ID from Cody, and a few of the regulars. There was a nice bar not far from them where Spencer and Becca had been for a drink on the way back from places, and they needed ID for that.

"Just can't say we're celebrating for college, that'll defeat the object. I just still hasn't sunk in yet, I'm going to Harvard. I did it baby. Man it's going to be great, we are going to Boston together- stared high school thinking you were some asshole jock and now ending high school excited that we are in the same city for at least four years. I can't wait, I can't wait, I get to go to my dream college in the same city as my best friend, that cannot be beaten."

"This is your victory today Hamilton- and I know the best way we can celebrate it. Let's groove."

It was a thing they did sometimes, just put some music and do really bad slow dancing to whatever song it was, whether an 80s love ballad or modern day dance track. They tended to do it when no one else was around; it was their special thing to take the piss out of each other with. Spencer put on the music before Becca could even react, because he knew that she wasn't going to say no. His choice of song was some fast rap that Becca didn't know, making it more of a challenge.

Holding out a hand, he led her into the living room to 'groove it.' Becca moved from side to say, swaying her hips as Spencer did slow arm rolls before the two did a mock waltz. Right now, it was just the two best friends celebrating an epic future together.

The song ended, the two laying on the floor with their heads next to one another, another thing that that they did when talking faux philosophically.

"I'm really glad I've got you with me- I love you, you're my best friend," Becca stated as she stared up at the ceiling.

"You know I'm not going to say it back, but yeah, you're my best friend. Still, this is your victory- when we go to Boston, I can just say I'm at UMass then you can one up me by saying Harvard. Then I'll be reminded about how I'm the more attractive one and we're good."

"Shut it," Becca laughed, slapping his stomach.

"50/50 on the hot scale."

"That's better," she agreed.

They talked for a while longer, just happily chatting about how excited Becca was. She talked a mile a minute, simply because she was still in a state of shock and awe at the fact she'd managed to get into her dream school. Though there was no way that Spencer would say it, he was touched that Becca had told him before anyone else that she'd got into Harvard. He had been really hoping for it, she did really want it and he also did want to spend his college years with his best friend. Simply, he was just really proud of his best girl.

At this point, Katie walked in, having been out with some friends.

"What are you doing?" she asked, "Are you having one of your 'philosophical discussions' again?"

"Hamilton's got big news," Spencer sang, helping his best friend up.

"Let me tell it," she hit his arm playfully, "I got into Harvard!"

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Katie squealed before jumping on Becca.

"Easy girl," Becca laughed, catching her. Luckily for her, Katie was only fairly light. Becca was fairly weak and even though she could easily be a base, it was easier if she was the one doing the stunts in the air, or at the top of the pyramid. As co-captain, it alternated between her and Bree.

"I'm so happy for you," she hugged her tightly; "You totally deserve it."

"Thanks honey."

"You're my sister Becs. I know it's not by blood, but you're my sister and you're the best."

"Goddamit Porter, you're going to make me cry lil sis."

The two hugged again as Spencer fake wretched at the side.

"Spencer, you're ruining the moment," Katie complained.

"That's my game," he grinned, clapping his hands together, "I think this calls for a celebration. You ladies get in the living room, and I will prepare."

They looked at each other curiously, but did as Spencer said. All they could hear as they sat down was some shuffling in the kitchen, and the banging of cupboards. Not long later, he walked back in, shot glasses in hand with a bottle of Coca Cola under his arm.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Well, under normal circumstances we'd be doing real shots, but I don't think mom and dad would be best pleased if we did them with my fourteen year old sister. Me and you, sure, we're underage but they wouldn't care too much. Katie's too young."

He lined up the shot glasses, pouring the coke in them.

They each took one as they sat down together.

"Alright girls, cheers."

"Cheers," they all placed them together, before downing them quickly.

"Another?" Spencer asked.

"Careful, we might get drunk," Katie teased.

He rolled his eyes, pouring another for each of them. Clinking them together, they went again.

"You two look like naturals at this," Katie stated.

"Hamilton and I, shots are our thing."

"Praise," Becca and Spencer placed their glasses together.

"When can I get my fake ID?"

"When you're sixteen, you won't look old enough til then and you don't want to risk it. Most people will just reject you but I've known people who called the police on others. Just get the seniors to buy beer for you til then. That's what I did, so did Hamilton back in Washington."

"Just flirt with guys, that's how you'll get it," Becca advised.

"Don't influence my sister in your seductress ways."

"How am I a seductress? I've had a stable boyfriend for over a year, it's not like I'm a siren."

"Bitch please- Hamilton, you haven't paid for a slushie from the 7/11 ever since you got here because that spotty kid has a massive crush on you and always pays for it, you could probably rob the store and get away with it. Every guy in the school wants to get with you- oh, and you gave that guy at the mall a boner in seconds. You know what you're doing and I am not letting you get your claws on my sister."

"Your sister could do worse than following in my footsteps," Becca replied, leaning on the chair, "I'm going to Harvard, that's an achievement."

"I'm giving you a week to let it out of your system and then you're not allowed to brag about it ever again," Spencer told her faux sternly.

"Hey, you're stuck with me for four years, maybe even longer," Becca grinned, "We are gonna be in one of the biggest, best and most vibrant cities in the USA, studying and getting great life opportunities. Most of all, we will be doing it as best friends. No new friend will ever break the bond that we have."

"I'll agree with that," Spencer nodded, "Lima Bros before Boston Bros any day of the week."

"I'm gonna miss Becca more than you," Katie told him.

"No you're not; you are going to be heartbroken when I fly out to Boston."

"Doubt it," the younger blonde snorted.

"You'll be sobbing into your pillow every night as your favourite brother departs."

"Jackson is my favourite brother."

"He is not," Spencer launched forward, grabbing Katie and bring her over his shoulder.

Becca laughed outrageously as Katie screamed/laughed/begged Spencer to put her down. The brother refused to, making the three laugh as he teased her into making her admit that she would miss him the most. Eventually Katie was too dizzy from being spun around and agreed, though she crossed her fingers behind her back. That made Spencer put her on the ground.

They laughed and joked around for a little while before Becca decided that it was time to head off to tell Ryder. She hugged Katie goodbye and tried to do it with Spencer, but he decided his quota was done. When pressed, he replied with the following:

"Graduating with your PhD, your wedding day and the birth of any children you have. That's it."

Though she'd had fun with them, she was bursting with excitement at the prospect of telling Ryder. She kept to the maximum speed limit, wishing that they were higher just for the day. Arriving at his house, she was practically giddy with excitement.

Ryder's car was there, the family vehicle wasn't though. Praying that he was home, she rapped on the door.

Lucky for her, his beaming face greeted her.

"Hi gorgeous," he greeted, "Come on in."

"Not interrupting anything, am I?"

"One moment, let me give my side chick time to sneak out."

"Oh hush you," she shook her head, having to laugh at his quip.

"Come on in, what's happening with my girl?" he invited her further in, closing the door behind her.

"I GOT INTO HARVARD!" she screamed, unable to keep it in any longer.

Ryder let out a surprised gasp, catching Becca as she jumped into his arms. He spun her around excitedly as she squawked with pure, unadulterated joy. He hugged her tightly to him, unable to speak as he clutched her back and hair. In turn, Becca wrapped her arms around her boyfriend as tightly as she could, her legs hooked around his waist. It was a moment of happiness between them, celebrating a huge achievement.

Looking down at him, Becca leaned her lips in and they kissed, Ryder's fingers running through her hair. Once they departed for air, Ryder let Becca back down.

"You did it babe, I'm so proud."

"Thanks," Becca beamed, "I can't believe it, I ran around the house screaming when the email came through. This has been my dream for so long, ever since I was a young girl I wanted to be the one who get herself into Harvard and I did it, I actually did it. I'm like in this state of shock and awe, like I'm floating on the clouds. It's been so much stress but now it's here and I did it. Oh my god, I did it."

At that very moment, she burst into tears, tears of joy.

"It's because you're utterly brilliant, Becs," Ryder wiped the tears with his thumb, "Utterly brilliant, extremely smart and super dedicated. You didn't just get in on grades alone; you worked hard to show that you were more than just letters on a paper. Nationals winning cheer captain, National Merit Scholar and everything else. I can't believe that I get to be with such a clever person, your brain totally blows me away. I cannot wait to boast to everyone that my girlfriend is beautiful and intelligent, nobody compares to you. You're so amazing, the most amazing girl I know. I wanted this for you so much because you work so hard and are so deserving. Well done Becs."

She smiled, resting her chin against his shoulder.

"I know I keep saying it, but I can't believe it."

"Well believe it baby, because you are going to be a Harvard student," Ryder laced their fingers together, "Boston is lucky to have you- a ray of sunshine in a rainy city."

"You are really laying on the charm today."

"I am- why don't you show me your acceptance?"

She handed him the phone, Ryder beaming with pride at it all as he read it slowly. Though he had been getting treatment for his dyslexia, he still did struggle but was way, way better than he had been. Right now, he was just thrilled for her.

"Let's get upstairs- do you want a drink?"

"If you have flavoured water, that would be great thanks."

"If that is what the lady wants, then that is what the lady gets. You go upstairs gorgeous and I will be right up with your order."

He kissed her cheek, Becca going upstairs. She lay comfy on Ryder's bed, which she always found divinely comfortable. When she and Ryder first started dating, she was allowed to say over on the proviso that she stay in the guestroom, the same with him when she stayed over. In the morning, they would be permitted to join one another. Later on, their parents got comfortable with them sleeping in the same bed. They obviously spent time doing other activities on it, but Becca really did feel so nice when she was on it. Maybe it was the association with Ryder, of the rather expensive mattress that he had. Either way, she could live on that.

Ryder came back upstairs, a drink of water on the tray as well as some Twinkies. Becca went straight upright at the sight of the treats, she loved them so much. Also on the tray was a single red rose.

"From the garden," he offered it to her, "Just something nice for you."

"You are too cute," she accepted the flower, smelling it close to her nostrils; "This smells beautiful."

She tucked it behind her ear.

"Not as beautiful as you."

"So cliché."

"Just like my love for you baby," Ryder winked and did finger funs. Becca rolled her eyes at that, giggling at his stupid jokes. His jokes tended to be lame, but that was why she laughed at them. He made her laugh a lot, with everything he did. From the strange memes to the really bad puns, she loved them all.

"God these are like Heaven in a bar," Becca moaned as she ate a Twinkie, "I swear I would marry anyone with an infinite number of Twinkie Bars, no offence."

"None taken," Ryder chuckled, "Anything for my Harvard girl."

"It won't ever get boring, no matter how many times you say it. Spencer says that I have a week to let it out of my system before I'm not allowed to brag about it ever again. Lucky that I'm sure that you will be understanding about it."

"Believe me, I will never get tired of hearing about your achievements," he moved a hair out of her face, "So Spencer knows as well?"

"Yeah, just you, him and Katie. My parents are out and I want to tell them in person. You guys are my main peeps, the ones who kept me sane and looked out for me no matter what. Spencer is my best friend who made jokes about me being stressed but always pacified me by studying together. He's been my rock, the friend that I never expected to have but turned out to be the biggest blessing. I get to stay in the same city with my best friend, I am so lucky to get to experience all that with him. Katie is my little sister, the little sister I never had which is great, because I never got to experience the love of siblings. You, well you're the man I love and that can't be beaten. You mean the world to me."

"I love you too gorgeous; I'm the luckiest guy alive."

"Damn right you are, I'm glad you know your place."

"I'd say that's not very modest of you, but I think you're allowed to be boastful today. I think getting into Harvard and being such a good Christian."

"Mmmm yeah," she grinned, snuggling closer, "When do your family get home?"

"Not for a while, why? Oh..."

Becca let out a giant smirk, giggling as Ryder went on top of her.

The two went at it for a while before ending up lying on their backs, sweating and panting profusely. Becca was pretty happy with it, that wasn't too bad a situation. She kissed Ryder's cheek, wrapping a blanket around her body before going to the toilet. As soon as she was in the bedroom again, she cuddled into Ryder's arms again.

"I want to stay like this forever."

"It is pretty nice," Ryder agreed, "It's gonna be so strange when we're gonna be nearly a thousand miles apart."

Realising what he said, he bit his tongue, lying back on the bed.

"Let's not talk about that today," Becca whispered, "I'd rather not, let's just celebrate me getting into Harvard."

It was a conversation that they were getting ever closer to- they always knew that there would be a huge distance between them at college. Even if Becca had gone to Case Western or Ohio State, they would still be a two hour drive away. Now, it was a long four hour plane ride between them. Nobody wanted to talk about it, but both knew that they would have to eventually. It was a now or never part of their relationship, because long distances were always very tricky. They could use Becca's Harvard celebration as an excuse to wait, but both knew it would just be a matter of time.

"Do you want your rose back?" Ryder asked, hoping to break the tension.

"That would be welcome," Becca accepted, placing the rose back behind her ear, "How do I look?"

"Too good to be true- _I can't take my eyes off of you."_

The blonde burst out laughing as Ryder began to serenade her with the Frankie Valli hit.

 _Pardon the way that I stare_

 _There's nothing else to compare_

 _The sight of you leaves me weak_

 _There are no words left to speak_

 _But if you feel like I feel_

 _Please let me know that is real_

 _You're just too good to be true_

 _I can't take my eyes off you_

 _I love you baby_

 _And if it's quite all right_

 _I need you baby_

 _To warm the lonely nights_

 _I love you baby_

 _Trust in me when I say_

"You are such a dork, cute but a dork," she laughed, opening her arms, "Come on here so that your biggest fan can reward your amazing performance."

Ryder went forward to receive his kiss.

"I wish I could stay longer but I gotta go, need to tell my parents cause they'll be home now. Tonight will be full of me calling every relative regardless of how long it's been since we've ever spoken."

"I don't envy you," Ryder threw her clothes over, dressing himself as well, "My mom cried all night when I got into BGSU."

"Moms," Becca laughed, grabbing her bag and Ryder's hand to go down the stairs. Once they were downstairs, the blonde hooked her arms around Ryder's shoulders.

"I'm so glad I got to celebrate this with you."

"Well I'm just proud of you- you're the best girl ever, and the damn sexiest too."

"With the sexiest boyfriend of all time," Becca leaned up to give him a kiss on the lips, which he is accepted, "I will probably be swamped calling my entire extended family and friends but I will make sure to message you."

"We'll arrange something; I'm going to take you to a really amazing dinner- much nicer than Breadstix."

"Taco Bell?"

"If it saves me money," Ryder joked, "Only kidding, you are going to get the best. Love you."

"Love you too," Becca kissed him one last time, "See ya baby."

He did one last salute, waiting until she was safely in her car. She waved as she left, smiling her entire way home. When she pulled back up into her driveway, she saw her mom through the window- her parents were home. A great big grin on her face, she opened the door and readied herself to tell the two people she loved the most about the future that she was looking forward to.

 **Hello all, hope that you enjoyed it! Sorry for the delay, I really struggled to write this one up to a satisfactory standard.**

 **Next Time: A talk from Spencer prompts Becca to decide whether her future with Ryder will last the distance between them in college. What will they decide?**

 **Thanks again and can't wait to see you next time xxx**


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMED**

 **Thanks to everyone for their support, we have about five chapters until we're done. I cannot believe I've got so far with this, it's really great- I am so thankful for all of you xxx**

 **Chapter 18**

It had been like a perfect haze ever since Becca had been accepted to Harvard. Her parents had been delighted and she'd been forced to call literally everyone they knew to tell her, even family members they barely knew. It had been a shower of gifts, celebrations and congratulations from so many people, including the promised dinner from Ryder. They went to a lovely place, preceded by the beautiful bouquet of flowers he had bought her. On Facebook, all of her family boasted about the relative that had got into Harvard. She and Spencer had also excitedly discussed their future together in Boston, glad to be stronger together.

A huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders and though she was planning to relax for the rest of the semester, she didn't plan to start slacking. Senioritis had hit everyone else, but not her. Right now however, she was lounging on the steps in the courtyard with her friends.

She wondered what summer would bring.

Her last summer had been great. Only a few days in and she'd headed to the beach with the Porters. Each sibling was allowed to ask a friend to stay, so Spencer has asked her to come with them. She'd shared a room with Stacey, Jackson (Spencer's older brother)'s girlfriend, and was pleased that they got a long so well. Most of the days were spent on the beach, or the rides, or walking along the pier. Her social media profiles were filled with images of her, Stacey, Anna (Katie's friend) and the Porters on their summery vacation.

The two weeks in Caltech had been amazing, full of learning and running on the sandy beaches at dusk. If she wasn't a goody two shoes who didn't want to get kicked out of the programme, she would have snuck some alcohol into the accommodation with her fake ID.

Not long later, and she'd spent a while in Spokane, visiting old friends and family. In some ways, it was like she'd never left. It was great to see Casey and the old girls, as well as the new cheerleaders. A lot of it had been chilling in coffee shops and going to the movies, but she'd had a girly sleepover at Casey's, watching all rom-coms. She also saw her grandparents, which is where they stayed. All they did was cluck on about how much she'd grown. Becca had proudly showed off pictures of Spencer, Ryder, Bree and the others, talking about them all with happiness. Her grandparents had teased her all about her boyfriend, but she'd taken it with good grace.

The time back in Lima had been just great. The majority of time was spent with Spencer- Walking Dead marathons, bowling, the movies, pretty much everything teenagers could do. She'd also spent time doing some work experience in a lab, just to edge up her college application. The Cheerios had also spent a lot of time together- parties, sleepovers, mainly hanging around the mall. Aimee and Becca had fallen into a gym buddies schedule that they'd briefly started before vacation, and planned to continue with afterwards. She and Bree had volunteered to help some elementary and middle schoolers with some dance lessons. That had been the best- she'd really had a good time with her co-captain.

Right now, still a month away from summer vacation, it was almost a perfect image. She and Bree laughed outrageously at the stupid guy the latter was texting, the two stretched out in a fairly futile attempt to tan nicely the Ohio sun. Around them, their friends were full of laughter and glee. It was just a simple, happy lunch, with so many of them having achieved their dream college. Prom was coming up, with senior ditch day just a few days before it. Most of the seniors would be going to an amusement park near Lima, Becca and all of her friends among them.

There was also the question of prom court. Becca had been honoured to be nominated the year before, but she really wanted to clinch it this year. Bree was making sure nobody stuffed the ballots or ruined them, wanting a Cheerio to win for the first time in over first years. Being prom queen would make everything perfect- cheer captain, prom queen and valedictorian. Well, she hadn't been confirmed as valedictorian yet but she had the highest grades and hadn't been overtaken since she arrived. Nobody was going to best her. She wanted that crown on her head and to be able to deliver the valedictorian speech.

She'd been planning the speech since junior year. It was arrogant, sure, but she had her eyes on the prize since day one. She could see herself standing on that stage, crown on head doing a royal wave, her excited classmates cheering for her. Becca knew that it would be the ultimate show of high school priority like no other.

Listening to Bree read out the texts, she laughed loudly. She would miss this in college, listening to Bree constantly talk about the weird and horny boys that she collected. The Cheerios were gathered together on the steps, each in small conversations but often intermingling with the others. Guys walked past, whistling and wondering whether they would have a last chance with the most popular girls before they all graduated.

Hair in her signature high pony, lips sugar rose pink and uniform fit snugly, Becca smirked at the attention. She felt good and looked great, knowing that these would be the last few weeks of her high school queendom. College did not have the cliques and interest in popularity, so Becca would have to learn from that. Right now, she would enjoy that attention.

Suddenly, the sound of music began to play.

Looking up, she saw Roxy standing next to a boom box, having turned it on. Frowning, she thought that it was some random Glee performance until she saw Ryder leading the New Directions boys over to where she was lounging.

Her boyfriend stood directly in front of her, the rest of the guys lined up just behind him. The boom box started playing _The Temptations_ hit 'My Girl.'

 _I've got sunshine on a cloudy day_

 _When it's cold outside I've got the month of May_

 _Well I guess you'd say_

 _What can make me feel this way?_

 _My girl (my girl, my girl)_

 _Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)_

Ryder was up front singing lead, the New Directions boys harmonising behind him, swaying and clicking their fingers. It seemed that the entire courtyard was stopping to watch, actually enjoying it. Several of the girls were swooning, clearly jealous that their boyfriends weren't like that or the fact that they didn't have boyfriends at all. A few of the jocks snickered, but even Bree seemed vaguely moved by the spectacle (though that wouldn't stop her teasing them both later).

Becca and her friends swayed to the beat, enjoying the show.

 _I've got sunshine on a cloudy day_

 _With my girl (My girl)_

 _(Talkin' 'bout my girl my girl) I've even got the month of May_

 _With my girl (My girl, woah)_

 _She's all I can think (my girl)_

 _(Talkin' 'bout my girl my girl)_

 _Talkin' 'bout, talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl, woah)_

As the song ended, Roxy rushed over with a single red rose and a large banner. She handed the rose to Ryder and the banner to the boys, who all unfurled it.

 _I hope you'll pick me to be your date. Will you go to prom with me?_

Attached next to the word pick were some dried red rose petals, as well as some fake flowers.

"Becca Hamilton, will you be my date to the prom?" Ryder asked, even though he knew (or hoped) what the answer would be.

"Of course!" she shrieked, jumping into his arms.

The courtyard applauded, several of Becca's girlfriends yelling loudly with excitement. Ryder spun Becca around, her arm around his shoulders.

"You had to get a pun in there, didn't you?"

"Oh of course," Ryder laughed, "Do you like it? I was worried it would be a bit...much but I wanted to make it really special for my best girl. It was the least lame pun I could think of and the guys were more than happy to help. The rose, well, that's obvious."

"I love it and I love you," Becca cupped his face in his hands, "Best promposal ever."

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it and believe me, I love you too," they kissed happily.

Their friends came over to coo excitedly, Kitty standing way at the back looking unimpressed. Becca hugged all of the guys (apart from Spencer) to thank them for it, smacking Ricky's hand away when it stayed a little too long on her waste. Ryder glared at the freshman for his actions, though knew that he had no competition from the guy who had barely started puberty.

Roxy whispered her intention to ask Roderick to the prom, which Becca massively encouraged. They'd come a long way from Becca secretly hating/envying Roxy for getting too close to her boyfriend and for being more his type. Well, Ryder's type was solely Becca Hamilton.

After they took the photos so that everyone could shower it on social media, the bell for fifth period rang loudly. Grabbing Spencer's arm, she followed him, Jordan and Aimee to their history class. As it was the end of the year, it was mostly revision materials for their final AP exams. Mr. Schuester just handed out the textbooks for them to study the conventional tactics in the Greek Civil War.

"So how long did you know about the promposal?" Becca asked Spencer.

"About a week ago, Ryder called a Glee club meeting of all the guys to ask if we'd help him do you a great promposal. He picked a song, asked us to learn it which wasn't hard because most us had done it at sectionals last year. We did it, he sorted the sign and the rose- a few quick practices of the song and we had it down pat, ready to serenade you. He's made me look bad you know, because I was not planning to do anything for Alistair and now I feel I have to. Everyone at school is going to be talking about this. It was great hearing you rattle on about prom because I knew what he had planned. Still, I don't know why he asked you to prom when you guys are dating, wouldn't you be automatically going together?"

"It's called a romantic gesture, something that you are sorely lacking in. It was so lovely though, thanks for helping him."

"I felt that this wasn't a situation where no was an option."

"You're right," Becca agreed, "Oh it's made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, I love him so much. There is no better person to have as a date to the prom."

"Yeah, you'll have to make the most it before you go to college."

"Excuse me?" Becca frowned.

"Well you're going to be miles and miles apart, you're not gonna see one another. Have you even discussed what you guys are going to do?"

"Er...no," Becca admitted.

"Hamilton, you're just over a month away from graduation. Why the hell haven't you and Ryder decided what you're doing with your relationship?"

"Well I thought that I could wait until college acceptances came but then when it happened, I was just so happy about getting into Harvard that I didn't want to think about it. We briefly mentioned it for a second on my acceptance day but that's it, I didn't want to talk further. The idea of it scares me, we've dated for a year and a half happily then bam, we're in a discussion about our relationship. We're gonna be 757 miles away from one another. A plane ride is four hours, it's not like I can drive to see him. It terrifies me."

"You're gonna have to face it: you guys are gonna be far apart and you can't just ignore it. Alistair and I have decided to have a month of trying to test the waters. If we find that we can cope we'll stay together, if not then we'll split amicably. Most long distance relationships fall apart and there is a good chance that yours might."

"Yeah I know. I just don't want to face it. I really love him."

"I know you do," Spencer comforted, "But let's face it. He'll be at Bowling Green and you'll be at Harvard. Your college is the best in the world, you're gonna be so swamped with amazing lecturers, guest speakers and every opportunity under the sun. We're still gonna be besties wherever we are and it helps we're in the same city. You can start off long distance but you'll lack intimacy and connection to the point you might find yourself looking for someone else."

"I'd never cheat," Becca gasped, "Adultery is one of the biggest sins- besides, I'd never want to hurt a person like that.

"I know you wouldn't, but you don't want the issue of being with a person nearly a thousand miles away and not being able to follow attractions out of obligation. Ok, let's put it this way: would you enter a relationship with a person online who lived the same distance? Say you know they're not catfishing, that they're real."

"Well, probably not," the blonde admitted.

"Exactly."

"It's just..."

"It's just what?"

"I really, really love Ryder. If we were past college, five years older, I could see myself having a real future with him. He's my first love I know that. Yes it's only high school, but we're a strong couple and I know I found the person that completes me. He's everything I want in a relationship and in a person. Deep down I know that this long distance relationship won't last and I want to end it well if we do, but the idea of being apart from him isn't something I want. Yes, I suppose it's good to experience other relationships and partners, but I won't be the type to have loads of one night stands. If I could just be with one person with the rest of my life then that's what I'd hope for. God intends us to be with that person, to be monogamous. I'd like to think that Ryder is my person, that one that God made to be with me. What are the chances of moving across the country and finding both my lifelong best friend and my possible soulmate?"

She took a breath.

"Then I remembered that the Lord tests us, to see who we are. I love Ryder so much but I know that we are in high school and that I could love someone else more, if that's possible. When I go to college, I don't want to worry about misreading signs or feeling trapped because I have a boyfriend halfway across the country. If we are to end, then I don't want us to fizzle out. Whatever happens, he was my friend first and I would still love him as a friend afterward. I do believe that he is my true love but maybe he's not my soulmate. God gives us only one soulmate, even if the first dies, so what if he isn't? College is about new experiences, I don't want to be worrying about being left behind. Everyone else will be meeting new guys or girls and I'll feel guilty about talking to one. I don't want Ryder to have the same problem."

Shrugging, she scribbled on her pad.

"You gotta look at is pragmatically- what happens if you break up before college? You can remain good friends, hang out on vacation and talk all the time over message. If you break up like a month or whatever into college, then there's a chance that he'll just be the awkward ex. That's why Alistair and I made the plan, because I don't want to lose him as a friend. It's the same with Ryder, he's a good guy and you guys were close friends before you started dating. Do you want to lose what you have?"

"No," Becca whispered back, "I just don't want to break his heart."

"That's understandable. You still gotta make a choice though Hamilton, because we're nearly graduating and you can't wait much longer. When are you guys next hanging out?"

"Tonight, Ryder has the house to himself so I'm going over and we're having a night watching _America's Funniest Home Videos_ with microwave popcorn. I imagined sex would also be on the table but this is kind of a bummer situation."

"Never underestimate a teenage boy and his lust for sex- I say that as one."

"Of course you have a lust," Becca laughed, before going more serious, "What do you think that I should do?"

"I'm not in a position to say exactly because I'm not in your shoes, but I read that like three quarters of long distance relationships fail. You could be in that lucky 25%, you might not be. Just think about how you want to end things and where you see it. Only you and Ryder can decide."

"When did you get so good at advice? You're usually either terrible or unwilling, followed by really bad jokes. This is like the most mature you've ever been."

"I have hidden depths," Spencer grinned, "Besides; you owe me for being part of your promposal. I didn't do it out of the goodness of my heart.

"Shut up," Becca smacked his arm, "You're ruining my happy promposal. Anyway, we need to study the guerrilla warfare tactics of the DSE."

"Ugh fine. I better get a 5 in this exam otherwise your study techniques have failed me."

"Whatever," the blonde replied.

GROW APART-

Several hours later, Becca was cuddled in Ryder's embrace, popcorn in a large bowl at their sides. In front of them, the laptop was playing videos of people falling on their junk and getting kicked by dogs.

The atmosphere was tense, mainly because Becca felt upset from her conversation with Spencer. Ryder was playing with her hair, something that made her want to kiss him and snuggle closer, but right now she was laser focused on the screen. It concerned Ryder, because Becca had been acting off ever since they'd gone home together. She was still gushing about the promposal but there was something off, like she was faking the happiness. Becca seemed to be avoiding his gaze, as nervous and jittery as she was when she was upset about her college acceptance.

He'd finally had enough when she didn't hold his hand. Moving forward, he paused the video.

"Ok that's it; you've been acting off all evening, what is wrong with you?"

Becca looked up, "Nothing, I'm fine."

"Becs, I know when you're upset, that's my job. You've been acting all stressed and nervous ever since we left school, I don't know what it is but I'm really worried about you. Did you not like my promposal? I wasn't sure about making it public; I didn't want it to upset you. I mean, it's the end of the school year, it's kinda sad in a way."

"It's not the promposal, I really did love it. It was the best."

"So what's the problem then?"

"We're going to be 757 miles away from each other from September," she finally managed to spit out.

Ryder immediately went silent, "Becs..."

"No, we have to talk about this. Spencer mentioned it in class and we had this long conversation about it. We need to discuss our future and we can't wait any longer because we're graduating soon. There's prom, senior ditch day, graduation and nationals for both our teams. It's all happening quickly and we have to talk. We've stalled long enough but we need to talk."

"Yeah," Ryder sighed, "You're right."

"I don't want to break up with you," she started, chin on knee, "I love you, I really love you and this is one of the hardest conversations I've ever had. I wish we had more time, another year, but we don't. This isn't a case of a two hour drive between campuses, we have three or four states between us and if we wanted to see each other, then it would be a nearly five hour plane ride. We're going to be so far apart and I hate it."

Tears filled her eyes, Ryder immediately going over to wrap his arms around her. He pulled her up in his embrace, holding her close to him. Snuggling against his chest, she managed to fight the tears from falling down her cheeks.

"I really want to make things work but long distance relationships don't often last. I'd like to imagine that we'd be in the lucky percentage that did, even if it was a little longer than everybody else. Then I think that even if we love each other like we do, it's going to be hard. There will be no physical intimacy, we won't always be available to talk and we're only really guaranteed to see each other every fifteen weeks or whatever. Then we have to factor in vacations, internships and jobs. I don't want us lingering and feeling held back- not that you hold me back, I love you, but I'm worried we'll feel unable to socialise without thinking we're betraying the other."

"I'd never cheat on you Becs, ever. Even if we were falling apart, I'd never even consider it."

"I know, I know," Becca assured, putting a hand on his cheek, "You're a good guy. I wouldn't cheat on you either. What I mean is what if I start becoming friendly with a guy and I misread signals, to the point where I worry. Neither of us should worry about making friends or whatever. I just...I just don't know what to do. If things end, then I want them to be on good terms. Even before we dated we were friends, I want it to be like that. You still mean so much to me; I don't want you to be the ex I'm awkward around. I still want to hang out with you when we're on vacation, be close to your sister and everything else do we together. Let's be fair, the puns and memes you send me are often terrible, but they make me smile and laugh. I just think that we can't be a plane ride away and pretend that we have what we once had."

"Do you think we should break up?" Ryder asked.

"It breaks my heart but deep down, I know it's the best thing for us and our relationship. I just wish we had more time."

"We do," her boyfriend assured gently, lacing their hands together, "We have until the start of September."

"That's not long enough. Look, I don't know if you're the soulmate that God intended me to have, but you're my true love and that's enough for me to know that I love you with all my heart. Still, I understand exactly what you mean. How about we're together right up until the first of us leaves for college? That's when we break it off, clean away with no issues and no extensions. We're away for college with new experiences and perhaps even new people, minds free. Until that day, then we're still as we are."

"I like it," Ryder agreed with a nod, "I wish it was longer too, but it's not. We shouldn't be worrying about this. I'm going to a decent college, something I never expected with my dyslexia. You're attending the best college in the United States and the world. Guys should have never been first on your mind, you're brilliant. We both need to look ahead with joy. Me? I get to go to prom with the most beautiful and intelligent girl who I love beyond words, a girl who is going to look stunning and has a real shot at prom queen. We have senior ditch day, graduation and a whole summer where we can happily be together. Whatever happens to us, you'll always be the girl I loved first and the most. Hell, I lost my virginity to you, that's special. There is no girl in the world I'd rather be with. I thought that Marley was the girl for me and I pined after her like an idiot, but then I met you and I knew that I was never meant to be with her. Yeah, breaking up is gonna suck but I know that we're gonna remain friends, just like I am with Jake and everyone else."

"Promise that we'll remain good friends?"

"Pinky swear it."

"Pinky swear it," Becca repeated, "This was easier than I thought."

"Yeah, not too bad," Ryder agreed, putting a hand out to play with her hair, "I know it sucks but we had to be done. Now that we've discussed it, we're better than we were. We know that we have several more months of getting to be happy together without any worries. I've got you Becs."

"Well I got you babe."

Becca laughed, which got Ryder singing.

 _They say we're young and we don't know_

 _We won't find out until we grow_

 _Well I don't know if all that's true_

 _'Cause you got me, and baby I got you_

 _Babe_

 _I got you babe_

 _I got you babe_

 _They say our love won't pay the rent_

 _Before it's earned, our money's all been spent_

 _I guess that's so, we don't have a plot_

 _But at least I'm sure of all the things we got_

"Well I don't know the song very well so I couldn't join in," Becca leaned forward, giving him a kiss on the lips, "But you were great and I love it. Remember when we sang _Summer Nights_ to each other on our first date."

Ryder raised his eyebrows as if to say 'are you thinking what I'm thinking?'

 _Summer loving had me a blast_

 _Summer loving happened so fast_

 _I met a girl crazy for me_

 _Met a boy cute as can be_

 _Summer days drifting away to oh oh the summer nights_

 _Tell me more, tell me more_

 _Did you get very far_

 _Tell me more, tell me more_

 _Like does he have a car_

 _She swam by me she got a cramp_

 _He ran by me got my suit damp_

 _I saved her life she nearly drowned_

 _He showed off splashing around_

 _Summer sun somethings begun but oh oh the summer nights_

"God we're brilliant," Becca threw her hair back, "I wish I'd seen you in the school play."

"You know that I have a DVD of that performance."

"How did that never get mentioned? How come you never showed me?"

"My mom bought the DVD after the performance, I completely forgot about it until now."

"I gotta see."

"Your wish is my command," Ryder drew her closer, "You know that Marley was great and all, but I would have much rather you be in that leather cat suit."

"Well, I'd much rather see you in something else..."

That's when they started making out, leading to something more passionate. Clothes off, it was clear that the decision had not made a dent in their sex life. After what seemed like a rather long time, they finished, panting.

"I'm going to the bathroom and once I'm back, I expect a certain Grease DVD."

Grabbing her clothes, she kissed Ryder's cheeks and sashayed to the bathroom, knowing exactly what she was doing. His red face and the area his blanket covered said it all.

He knew he was lucky with her, she was perfect.

He hated every single second it. The majority of jocks- football players, basketball, the 'Puckheads' were dicks, but it only tended to be his teammates that gave him grief. The worst thing was that he really loved Becca. She was pretty, witty, intelligent and relatively kind, the girl that he loved. There was definitely a stronger feeling for Becca than for Marley, and he was extremely glad now that he had dated Becca. She meant a lot to him. Unfortunately, he was getting hate for being with his girlfriend. He got dirty looks when they walked down the corridor hand-in-hand, or shoves in the locker room after he'd talked to her during the breaks at practice.

That would be over soon, all that stupid jealousy. Hopefully those idiots would grow out of their high school mindset and realise how stupid they'd been.

Becca walked back in, big smirk on her face.

"What are you smirking about?"

"I just cannot wait to see my boyfriend kill Danny Zuko," she snuggled into him, wrapping the blankets around her, "I gotta say...I got chills, they're multiplying."

"I thought terrible jokes were my thing," Ryder leaned over to start the DVD, "You ready babe?"

"Yes Mr. T Bird," Becca mock saluted.

Laughing, Ryder pressed play.

 **Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, now we're getting to the home bend. We have senior ditch day, prom, glee's Nationals and graduation coming up, as well as a surprise epilogue set more than a little into the future...**

 **Next Time: It's senior ditch day, with all of the McKinley upperclassmen spending time at a local amusement park. What happens when the rivalries shared by the rival cliques spill over? Will everyone put their differences aside for one day to enjoy some fun?**

 **Thanks again! I hope that you enjoyed it and hope to see you next time xxx**


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMED**

 **Yeah, sorry it's been so long. Been crazy busy with work and stuff plus other stories. On top of that I struggled with writing this chapter, so I completely changed it as you'll see in the paragraph below.**

 **I've skipped the senior ditch day chapter because I just could not think of a single way to write past the first thousand words. Instead we're heading straight to senior prom. Three chapters after this- Nationals, graduation and an epilogue.**

 **Chapter 19**

Becca felt sorry for Miss. Hanson.

They were a month out from graduating and she was still trying to teach. Nobody really cared; they'd all got their college acceptances and had no interest in learning this late in the school year. She was the only one attempting to pay attention, but found it difficult because Miss. Hanson was just repeating what she already knew. Beside her, Spencer was doodling caricatures of their classmates in the margins.

Just as Miss. Hanson was talking about literary allegories, the PA started up.

"Attention McKinley idiots."

The teacher just sighed, plopping herself down at her text and drinking her coffee like it was heroin.

"As you all know, prom season has arrived. You will all spend your parents' hard earned money on a dress that makes you look like a fancy escort and booze that you think you will manage to sneak into my prize winning punch. As we've had with the past two years, we will be having a giant Brundleprom that only seniors and juniors will be invited to, unless you're a Glee club member who is inexplicably attend despite singing zero songs. As usual, we've nominated four kings and four queens for you to vote for. Use your own tissues to wipe your hormonally depressed faces when you don't get your precious nomination. Any student found crying within earshot of the staffroom will find themselves with a pepper spray to the face. You have been warned. Now, your Kings...Cody Lewinsky."

Surprise.

"Steve Nelson."

Becca threw up in her mouth.

"Albin Wallin."

That was the Swedish exchange student who'd found himself very popular for giving out condoms and having sex, the epitome of the liberal Nordic sex maniac that many Americans thought of that.

"Bit weird," Principal Sylvester continued, "And that's why I want to build a wall. Lastly, Spencer Porter."

The class cheered for Spencer, who did his special handshake with Becca. If no one messed with the ballots this year, he was in with the biggest shot of winning the nomination.

"Now onto nominations for Queen... Jessica Dawson."

Becca nodded, Jessica was at least a nice person.

"Tina Perkins." Tina was a junior who helped people cheat on tests.

"Kitty Wilde." Of course.

"And finally, Rebecca Hamilton."

She should have known it was coming, considering she was the most popular girl in school, but it still came as a pleasant surprise. Accepting the adoration of her classmates with faux grace, she flashed Spencer a grin to acknowledge how smug she was. The handshake returned as Principal Sylvester tuned off of the PA.

"We're gonna make it this year, Hamilton."

"Of course."

"If we don't, Bree will kill us and I do want to make it to our graduation."

"Speaking of which," Becca held up a pinky before counting down with her fingers, "Counting down the moment before Bree texts me about the campaign...3...2...1."

Her phone buzzed.

 _I literally cannot type right now because my entire body is shaking. This is OUR year, I just know it. The next class will be full of boring shit so I can chart our plan, I'll see you at break then Spencer can sit with us at lunch. OMG OMG I AM SO PROUD, you are my favourite friend. Ugh, I just CANNOT right now xxx_

"Did she actually say that?" Spencer asked.

Becca nodded.

"God she's a nightmare."

"She's one of my best friends," the blonde shot back.

"Yeah but I'M your best friend so I can say that shit."

"You are so lucky I put up with you. No prom king and queen pair are going to be quite as awesome or look as amazing. I'm also one hundred percent sure Bree kept last year's plans so be prepared, because she sure as shit is going to be on our backs about this."

"I might spoil the ballots."

Becca gave Spencer a glare that could melt ice.

"Kidding, kidding," Spencer threw his hands in the air, "You and I are going to kill this shit."

"Best prom couple..."

"...Ever."

-GROW APART-

Becca slid her feet into the heels, knowing that she would be suffering in them later. Still, they looked beautiful.

She'd gone for pink again; she'd loved it the first time for her prom dress so had decided to go with it again. This time it was a high necked soft pink gown, diamantes decorating the belt and the neck. They were matched with silver heels and dangling earrings, completing the look. Her hair was in loose curls and her makeup simple, the shining lip gloss drawing attention to her face.

The accessory she wanted most was that shiny tiara on her head at the end of the night. Becca Hamilton, 2015 McKinley High Prom Queen. Her best friend in the world would be Prom King; there was no one she'd rather share it with.

Her house was again the go to place for everyone to arrive, Peter Lynn having hired a nice car for them to go in style with. Once the teens had gone, Andrew and Mona had put on a buffet for everyone else. It would be extremely busy- Becca's parents; Aunt Wendy; Patrick; Ryder's parents and sister; Spencer's parents and siblings and Alistair's parents and brother. On top of that were Alistair's maternal grandparents and some of Ryder's relatives. All in all, it would be a couple of dozen so the Hamiltons were being very generous. Becca had no idea that senior prom was so big for the relatives.

Ensuring everything was sorted; Becca took one last look in the mirror.

 _Damn girl, you're fine._

Not wanting to keep anyone waiting any longer, she grabbed her bag and headed down the stairs.

As in movies, every eye was on her. Slowly descending, the only face she saw in the crowd was Ryder. His eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree and he had the biggest smile on his face. In one hand was a bouquet of lavender roses and in the other was the corsage in the box. Becca was trying not to cry with joy the second Ryder met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"You are so damn beautiful Becs, the most beautiful girl. It was like seeing a model walking down the stairs- I got you lavender roses, the lady at the florist said that it represents love at first sight and enchantment. That fits you."

"But I didn't get you anything, as handsome as you look," she smoothed his lapels down.

"I got you as a girlfriend; I won the lottery on that one."

"Why are you so charming?"

"Because I get to spend senior prom with the beautiful and warm girlfriend that I love, which is more that most guys can say. Let me slip that corsage on."

Becca held out her arm, which he placed the corsage on.

"I love you," she whispered so that only he could hear.

"I love you too Becs," he took her hand and gave her a kiss on the forehead so not to ruin her makeup.

As expected, the clicking of cameras and phones ignited behind them. Sighing, they both went to greet their families, Ryder introducing her to his relatives with the biggest smile on his face. Jessica and Mona were both cooing over Becca's dress, treating her like a favourite Barbie. She accepted it kindly, thanking them for their compliments.

Spencer and Alistair arrived with their families, Katie almost tripping over to hug Becca. The blonde couldn't wait to see what the youngest Porter would look like her on her prom night, or what Liv would look like. It was an almost endless parade of photos and poses, Becca's face moulding into a smiling position.

Alistair's grandparents seemed quite taken with Spencer, especially Alistair's absolutely tiny grandmother. She kept poking his arms, talking about his muscle and telling him that he reminded her of a young man that used to 'keep her company' when she was in her teens. Becca was trying so, so hard not to laugh at Spencer's befuddled expression, but she and Katie ended up lapsing into hysterics to the point where they exited the room to breathe. She'd also noticed that Katie was wearing the necklace she'd given her months ago on that first date, which was sweet.

When they got back into the main living area, Wendy hesitantly approached her niece.

"Can I talk to you for a second sweetheart?"

Becca indulged her with an obviously annoyed nod, moving to the side so that they could talk privately.

"You look really beautiful sweetheart; you're a very pretty girl. You're lucky really; you're one of those girls that will always be pretty. I hope that you enjoy tonight."

"I'm sure I will," Becca replied coldly, none verbally asking her aunt what the hell she wanted.

"Look I know that we don't always...get along. I wish we were closer, I do, but that's on me. I imagine some perfect family reunion where we'd be like the Brady Bunch or that family from Full House or whatever. I spent most of my prom night-"

"Coked out?" Becca finished.

"-Yes," Wendy admitted, "I did. I want to say that whatever happens between us, I'm really glad that I have you as a niece. Those years in San Francisco and in Redmond, I wondered what Andrew would be like as a father. He was such a good brother to me; I hated leaving him behind more than anything. He felt that he had to step up after I became a mess. Andrew was the good Christian and perfect son but I never resented him because I love him. I thought he'd teach his sons to play catch and have tea parties with his daughters. I knew he'd teach them the ways of Christ. In my head, I saw the perfect family. When I got to Lima, I prayed that Andrew would have at least one child I could be an auntie to. I hoped he'd be the same to Patrick. You're a wonderful young woman. Becca, you're so pretty and kind hearted, and wow are you intelligent- Harvard is a dream. I wish we could be closer. I really hope you get prom queen tonight."

"Thank you. We still have summer though- maybe we can hang out more then?"

Wendy's eyes lit up, "For real?"

"For real and for what it's worth, I don't hate you. You're my aunt, I love you."

"I love you too- can I hug you?"

"I guess-"Becca managed to spit out before Wendy practically crushed her ribs in the embrace. The older blonde had tears in her eyes, please that her hope of a family was finally coming together. She'd still felt like an outsider since she'd returned, but now she felt like she was actually part of the family now. Settled in Lima, she'd got her job, as had Patrick. He was seeing someone and she'd had a very successful first date with a pastor of all people.

Becca awkwardly went back to her friends, still not sure if she would keep that promise.

Several parents wanted a big photo, so a timer was put on a camera at the front and everyone smiled at it. Becca was sandwiched between Ryder and Spencer, her arms around both. Once that was over, the driver of the nice Bentley honked from the front.

"Thank God, I almost got myself legally emancipated just then," Spender muttered to Becca.

"You're eighteen; you don't need to get yourself emancipated."

"You know what I mean."

One last hug from all the relatives and Becca got into the car. Snuggling into Ryder's side, she happily lapsed into conversation with her friends. They sang and danced to the songs on the car radio, banging their heads to Bohemian Rhapsody when it came on. Well, the guys did, Becca was too worried about messing up her hairstyle.

Arriving at McKinley, Ryder got out of the car first and held out his hand for Becca to take. The four walked in together.

"I can't get to spend my senior prom with the girl I love," Ryder told his girlfriend, "I've gotten to spend two proms with you and I think that makes me the luckiest guy at McKinley. We're going to have an amazing night and you might be prom queen then we'll go to Cody's house for the huge party. This'll be the start of an amazing three months together. We don't have to think of the future yet."

"Yeah, let's just have tonight to ourselves," Becca squeezed their hands together.

Ryder held their hands together, kissing her knuckles before they walked into the gym.

This year's theme was Midnight Stars. The dark blue curtains were decorated with twinkling stars, shining when they were hit by the soft silver lights coming from the ceiling. Faux clouds and a crescent moon always descended from the top. Around them, netting hung between the pillars, golden stars glued to them. Even the table tops were a soft shiny theme. The stairs were decorated with dark blue bows on the back, kind of like you'd see in a wedding party. It was clear that the prom committee hadn't pissed around- it was very beautiful.

Once again, the photographer had the 'couples' photos' up first.

Alistair and Spencer took the mick with theirs, but Ryder and Becca had the traditional photos. An arm around the other, Ryder's chin on the top of Becca's head, they beamed happily into the camera.

"I'm going to say hi to my girls, see you later babe," Becca leaned up to give him a peck on the lips, "When's your song?"

"In about fifteen minutes."

"Well I'll be in the front row for that," she messed up his hair before rushing over to see her friends.

Bree looked spectacular in red, to no one's surprise. She'd gone for the colour for the past two years and decided to make it a perfect three. Strapless with a low back, she looked almost devil like, but in the best way. Her date was some guy from the lacrosse team whose name Becca only knew because Bree had told her beforehand. It was another 'Bree date,' where they were only going together so both weren't going alone and so that they could have sex after.

Aimee, dressed in a periwinkle off the shoulder mermaid gown, was obviously with Cody. Jordan, a vision in off white with a one shoulder dress, had gone with Jaden, the guy she went to the Sugar Shack with last Valentine's Day.

They hugged excitedly, comparing outfits and squealing with joy like they hadn't seen one another in years, when they'd in fact got their hair and makeup done together. As soon as the music was on, they grabbed hands and rushed into the middle of the dance floor, singing loudly to Beyoncé.

Ms. Pillsbury welcomed them all to the stage before announcing a set list by the New Directions. First off were Ryder, Jake, KJ, Mason and Roderick acting like a boy band. Becca didn't even need to shove through the crowd to get to the front; they all let her through without a problem.

 _Though I've tried before to tell her_

 _Of the feelings I have for her in my heart_

 _Every time that I come near her_

 _I just lose my nerve_

 _As I've done from the start_

 _Every little thing she does is magic_

 _Everything she do just turns me on_

The guys serenaded the excited crowd. When one of the non lyrical parts came on, Ryder led the pack by holding out a hand for Becca to take. She shook her head wildly but he continued to offer, eventually persuading her into joining him on stage. The others did the same- Mason for Jane, KJ for Madison, Roderick for Roxy and Jake for Erin, the random girl he'd been kind of seeing.

Their arms around their girls, the guys sung into the microphone. The ladies danced around with them, clapping their hands to the beat. It seemed to work with the audience, who cheered at the romance in the room.

 _Every little thing_

 _Every little thing_

 _Every little thing she does is magic magic magic_

 _Magic magic magic_

 _Every little thing she does is magic_

 _Everything she do just turns me on_

 _Even though my life before was tragic_

 _Now I know my love for her goes on_

When the song ended, everyone cheered excitedly. Becca put her arms around Ryder's neck and kissed his cheek.

"You were the best out here baby," she told him, before they kissed properly to the sound of wolf whistles.

Off the stage and Becca headed to the bathroom. When she came out of her cubicle, she saw Kitty checking out her reflection in the mirror.

Becca saw sort of a twisted version of herself in Kitty, as much as she would hate to admit it. Both were blonde cheerleaders who were deeply Christian, but in different ways. Becca prioritised charity and private piety whilst Kitty believed in evangelicalism as the best way to save the soul. She was devout Methodist, Kitty was strongly Pentecostal. They both cared for looks and cheerleading, being the top dog. Becca cared more for popularity and more of what people thought of her, but was kinder. Kitty cared less for popularity, but was meaner. They showed the different paths of popularity and how the other could have been.

They still hated each one another passionately though.

Both glared at the other coldly as Becca went to wash her hands.

"You look nice," Becca told her rival, "As much as I hate to admit it, you do."

"As do you. I still can't wait to beat your ass tonight."

"May the best woman win."

"Please," Kitty put her eyeliner back in the back, "We all know that's me."

With a smug look, she sauntered off.

Rolling her eyes, Becca threw her hand roll in the trash and was about to go but was stopped when Roxy entered.

Roxy had taught Becca a valuable lesson, something that she also hated to admit. After the incident, Becca found herself a more humble and understanding person. Instead of reaching out to Roxy like a good Christian should, she pushed her away out of spite and jealousy. She should have believed that Ryder would never cheat on her and that he was just being kind, even though he had spent too much time with Roxy. Becca had called Roxy a lot of names, none of them kind, and she felt truly bad about them. They weren't that close, but could still call one another friends.

"Hi," Roxy smiled at Becca.

"Hey, I'm really glad you asked Roderick to prom. You're cute together. Is anything going to happen between you two?"

Roxy shook her head, "No, no, I don't think so. He's going to LA in the fall for college, I think it will be a little hard to start something now. It'll just be a nice prom date."

Roderick had been accepted to the Musicians Institute in LA to study for a major in music, with a concentration on vocals. The seniors ate Glee club had been pretty successful in their college endeavours- Ryder was going to BGU; Marley was attending the Oberlin Conservatory of Music to do vocals (like Roderick); Kitty would be attending Biola University to study worship arts (whatever the hell that was); Alistair was heading to the Cleveland Institute of Arts for game design; Unique to Columbus College of Art and Design for fashion design and Spencer to University of Boston with aims of a journalism major.

Jake was attending the most prestigious school, after Becca, as he'd managed to get into Juilliard to study dance.

"What about you? Have you thought about what colleges you're applying for?"

"Probably some music or tech places, I want to do music but like behind the scenes, production. Roderick and Marley will be the ones singing in the studio, I'll be the one behind the glass twisting the knobs and pushing the buttons. Meanwhile, you're the only one who has chosen a sensible educational path that won't put you in poverty after school."

Becca laughed.

"Whatever you say. You look really pretty."

"Thanks, you too," Roxy smiled, "I also got some really great news, my father will be staying at the base for the foreseeable future so that means I get to graduate from McKinley and come back here during vacations from college."

"That is so great, it's great that you're happy."

"You know, I voted for you."

"Really? After how awful I was to you last year?"

"Yeah, but it was from a place of hurt and worry, you're not a bad person and you made up for it. At least you're nice to me, Kitty just insults everyone. I bet half the Glee club voted for you anyway. I mean, Unique, Jake and Marley definitely voted for Kitty but there's a good chance the rest of us voted for you. Spencer and Alistair definitely did. I don't know about Ryder though."

"I don't mind if he didn't, it was the same last year. I said he could vote for Kitty and I wouldn't mind. Perhaps he'll have voted for her last year and me this year or maybe the other way around. Thanks though, I appreciate the vote. Maybe it'll be the difference."

"You really want it, don't you?"

Becca nodded, "It sounds so superficial but yeah, I do. It's everything I've worked for in order to prove that I'm the most popular girl. I have Ryder and Harvard and valedictorian, this will just be the cherry of top of a great year. Crap- I need to vote myself."

"I'll let you do that," Roxy smiled, "See ya Becs."

"Bye Roxy."

The blonde exited, going to the polling booth to cross a name next to her and Spencer. Doing the sign of the cross against her chest, she placed it in the box.

"Did you vote for yourself?"

"Of course I did," Becca replied to Bree, "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know, maybe because you thought it wasn't fair to vote for yourself?" the dark haired girl shrugged, "Anyway, I did a straw poll and I really think we're gonna win."

"Have you considered the fact people may have lied because they're scared of you?"

"They'd know better than to do that."

"Exactly."

At that point, Spencer walked over, holding out a hand to the blonde.

"Let's dance bestie."

"She's my best friend," Bree called after them.

"No she's not," Spencer yelled back.

"Can you guys just not be like children over a toy?" Becca asked as _Uptown Funk_ began.

"No," Spencer shook his head, "Anyway, let's move."

They laughed outrageously as they did silly moves like the shopping cart and the Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bel Air. She could feel Bree watching her from the side lines, wishing that she'd done it earlier to 'promote the vote,' but she was just glad to be silly with her best friend on prom night. It didn't matter that Spencer looked like a white dad at a cul-de-sac BBQ, it was a laugh.

She was glad that she would get to be in the same college town as her best friend. They would have the space to pursue their own lives, but still be in the same city. Becca knew that this would be a friendship that would last, even if they'd been on the opposite sides on the country. It was harder with a romantic relationship, which is why she and Ryder would be broken up before college. A friendship this strong, however, would last.

It would have been nice if Ryder had been nominated too, but she had her best guy with her and there was nothing was better than that. Becca knew she was privileged, for not many people had true friendship like she had with Spencer.

The song ended and the two did a theatrical bow.

Becca continued to alternate between dancing, refreshments and talking to her friends. She and Jake had a fun time practicing some moves, whilst she and the girls did a flawless dance to _Single Ladies_ (which worried the boyfriends).

Inevitably, the time came for the announcement. The head of the prom committee ushered everyone over from where they stood. Becca stood at the very right of the stage, Kitty on the other side of the girls and Spencer mirroring his best friend.

"Listen up everyone, I want to get this done," Sylvester called out, "Ok here we are, with your 2015 Prom King and Queen nominees. Your king nominees are: Gay Batman; Squirrel Head; Richie Rich and the Swedish Man Whore. Your queen nominees are: Kitty I Forget Your Last Name; Tina No Bra; Non Lesbian Hillary Clinton and Cheerleader Elle Woods."

The crowd applauded.

"Now for the moment you sad sacks have been waiting for. Your 2015 Prom King and Queen are.."

Becca crossed her fingers behind her back, praying that she would get this.

"...Spencer Porter and Rebecca Hamilton."

Letting out an almighty gasp of joy, Becca felt relief pore out of every fibre of her being. She whispered commiserations to Jessica and Tina, but threw Kitty a very smug look. Spencer high fived her once they got over to the front, smiling as they both accepted their crowns.

Becca cast her eye out to the crowd. Bree was jumping up and down with excitement, clearly pleased that a Cheerio had finally got their rightful place in the prom court. Aimee and Jordan waved at her, also beaming with joy. Alistair was whistling for his boyfriend, with everyone at the Glee club looking thrilled for Spencer.

Ryder's face was the one that pleased Becca the most. He looked at his girlfriend with the most adoration she'd seen anyone look like. Their eyes met and he mouthed an 'I love you' to his girlfriend. She mouthed it back, tears welling in her eyes.

Spencer held out his hand for Becca to take.

"Let's rock this dance floor."

Their prom king and queen dance was a lot more serious than before, but made somewhat humorous by Spencer's God awful dancing. As they danced, Becca felt overwhelmed by emotion at what was happening. Prom Queen was something she'd wanted for so long and had finally achieved. Her classmates recognised her as the most popular amongst them all and that felt damn good.

"We did it," she smiled at Spencer, "We really did it."

"That we did- and there is no one I'd rather be my side."

"Nor mine," she assured back, "Senior year, the two most popular kids in school. We are gonna look back at these years with so much happiness."

"Along with memories of my terrible dancing."

"That too," she laughed.

They continued until the song ended. Bowing to one another, they were stuck in the moment until both felt taps on their shoulders. Spencer turned to see Alistair and Becca turned to see Ryder.

"May I have this dance?" they both asked simultaneously.

Mason and KJ started up with the song.

 _You're just too good to be true_

 _I can't take my eyes off you_

 _You'd be like heaven to touch_

 _I wanna hold you so much_

 _At long last love has arrived_

 _And I thank God I'm alive_

 _You're just too good to be true_

 _Can't take my eyes off you_

"You did it babe," Ryder looked down at her as they swayed slowly, "Prom queen and the most beautiful of the bunch. Unfortunately you're incompatible with your king romantically, but luckily a dashing young suitor is here to sweep you off your feet."

Becca giggled.

"Ok, so Spencer and I are the medieval couple put together by marriage laws. We get by as the best of friends but look the other way at our romantic lives. He is with the court artist and I am with a handsome knight. Everyone wins."

"You have the best imagination."

"I know," she smiled up at him, "I cannot imagine a better prom night than this. I'm prom royalty with my best friend, I look hot and I'm slow dancing with the guy I love. After this, we're gonna get wasted at a fab party with all of our closest friends. Unless someone turns out to be Carrie in disguise, I cannot think of this going wrong."

"Neither can I," he put a hair behind her face, "The crown suits you. No girl in this place is as beautiful as the Prom Queen, it's like a bride on her wedding day. Well, no girl was ever going to look as perfect as you tonight. I know I'm biased because I'm your boyfriend but you seriously are the most gorgeous girl at McKinley. Every girl in this place wants to look like you and I really can't blame them."

"Well I got the most handsome boyfriend in the school, so it looks like I lucked out on that as well," she put a hand on his cheek, "Those flowers you got me are just the prettiest, I didn't even think of lavender roses. Oh and the meaning, that's just so cute. You're so thoughtful, I just feel so bad that I didn't get you anything back."

"You don't need to Becs, you really don't."

"I do have an idea though," she smirked playfully, "See Cody's house has a lot of rooms and Bree told me all the ones that lock. I could give you a present there but if you're _really_ insistent on me not getting you anything, then I'll pass."

She battered her eyelashes up at him.

"Well, if you're offering..."

"...Which I most definitely am..."

"...I can surely accept."

"Good," Becca grinned, "Then I am sure excited to give you your gift."

Ryder looked down at her with utter adulation once again.

"I love you Becs, I really do."

"I love you too Ryder, more than anything else in this world."

Going on her tip toes, even in heels, she leaned up to kiss him. As their lips met, Becca felt as though nothing in this world can bring her down.

 **Hi guys, hope you enjoyed this one!**

 **Next Time: It's Nationals in Boston for New Directions. With some encouraging words from Becca, will Ryder and his friends pull off a victory?**

 **Don't forget to review and let me know what you think. Thanks again and I hope to see you next time xxx**


	20. Chapter 20

**DISCLAIMED**

 **Thanks for the support guys- only 2 more chapters and then we are done!**

 **Chapter 20**

Everyone was feeling nervous as the 2015 Show Choir National Championships had finally arrived. The flight to Boston had been a happy one, but everyone had gotten nervous when they finally touched down in Logan Airport. Vocal Adrenaline were going to be pulling no punches, which meant that the New Directions had to be on top of their game. They'd won Nationals last year on a Queen medley so epic, they'd become YouTube sensations and were viral for months. It was going to be hard, but they'd all worked their absolute butts off to do this. The only comparable thing was Cheerios practice, which was soul destroying for everyone involved.

The theme was rock, so Mr. Schue had selected some classic tunes for them to sing.

For so many of them, it was their final chance to win a Nationals victory. Some of them would go on and perform in glee clubs at college, but it wouldn't be the same. They'd all been moulded by New Directions; they wouldn't be where they were without it. Kitty would have been the bitch Cheerio who never grew out of her cruelty, Marley would have remained a bullied loser and Jake would have gone down the route of his father. Everyone really wanted to win, especially for Will and the memory of Finn.

They'd be heading to the Boston Central Performing Arts Center in a little while, but for now everyone was relaxing in their rooms. The hotel was pretty pricey so there were only three rooms- one for the boys, one for the girls and one for Will and Emma, the chaperones. Still, it wasn't that far a walk from where they'd be performing.

The other guys were hanging around the room- Spencer and Alistair were making out; Jake was teaching Roderick and Ricky some dance moves; KJ was meditating and Mason was practicing vocals. Ryder sat on his bed, playing some stupid game. He was trying to remain calm, but was breaking with nerves inside. In two of the numbers, he had a solo part, which meant he was on focus.

Ryder was also sad that this part of his life was over. He'd miss singing and dancing in the choir room so much. Through Glee, he'd become more confident, had his dyslexia diagnosed and was heading to a university that he never thought he'd attend. He was looking to graduate with a B-, which was a pretty respectable 2.9. Finn had been right, that day in study hall- the music opened up a new part of his brain. He could read music, hell; he could read a lot of stuff now because of it.

That was interrupted by a Face Time call from Becca, her bright shiny face on his phone screen.

"Hi babe," he answered with a smile.

"Well hello, how is my handsome crooner?" she asked.

"Excited and terrified at the same time. What about you?"

"Ready and waiting to watch the live stream of New Directions killing the game. My baby is going to be the secret weapon that gets you to victory. I for one cannot wait to touch the giant trophy that you are going to bring home. I also may be slightly biased, but you are quite easily the best looking show choir contestant ever."

Ryder laughed, "If it all goes tits up, I'll give it a go."

"How are you feeling about it?"

"Like I'm gonna hurl. This is my senior year, I really wanna win this. It'd mean so much to me to come back with the trophy and have this moment with my best friends in the world. I'm terrified I'll mess up or that we'll simply not be as good as the other teams. Vocal Adrenaline are the group that would win America's got Talent or something, they're just a force of nature. Yeah, he have humanity and a connection, but that won't compare to all of their epic stunts. It's terrifying."

"Ryder honey, you're amazing," Becca assured him, "I know that you don't think you're awesome, but you're a seriously great singer with amazing moves. You're talented; I totally think you could win American Idol if you entered. When you're on that stage, just take everything in you and let it out. You've done this before, it'll all come flooding back I promise. I've watched you perform in person and it's like watching a concert, I'd pay real bucks for that. Last night, I prayed so hard for you all and for God to show you what a tremendous talent you are. I recited the verses about talent went through the Bible, it's all in James 1:17: 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.' Your talent cannot be hidden, let your light shine before others. Your talents are serving a greater purpose."

"What? Like how doctors are saving cancer patients?"

"All gifts are precious in their own way. You are providing the world with a joy of music and song. There is so much in the Bible about music, how much is pleases God. It's why Footloose was a load of baloney. Besides all of the religious stuff, I know and love you. Everyone in that club is super talented- even Kitty, as much as it pains me to say. Look, Vocal Adrenaline might be all big stunts and theatrics, but you have a heart and so much passion in your song. I have watched their videos; they are all centred on one person. They're robots, so in sync without any teamwork. You're all different, exciting- I know that you are going to own that. I'm a smart person about science but I'm also smart about things like that. Oh- and one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Whatever place you come in, I'm sure we can we celebrate, just the two of us," her face turned into a sly grin.

"Please don't excite me like this."

"Oh, I call it motivation," she told him with a wicked grin, "Seriously though, I believe in you one million percent. You are my talented, handsome boyfriend and you are gonna win this."

Ryder felt the bed dip beside him.

"Hey Hamilton," Spencer stuffed his mouth with a cheeto.

"Well hello my gorgeous bestie, how are you feeling?"

"We are gonna smash this competition."

"I will be watching the whole thing, watching my best boys kill it," Becca sang, "Don't worry, I'll leave demoralising comments when Vocal Adrenaline come on and support when you guys are on."

"Please don't," Ryder begged.

"Spoil sport."

"I literally just saw you wink at Spencer."

"No," Spencer and Becca replied simultaneously, with the exact same voice you'd expect from mind readers.

At that point, there was a knock on the door.

"Hey guys," Mr. Schue popped his head in, "We're meeting in the lobby in ten minutes, so get ready. Don't be late."

He exited the room swiftly again.

"Ok," Becca whipped her head back to the screen, "I love you both so much and cannot wait to see you win. I prayed hard last night and I am going to pray hard again. When you've finished celebrating, I'll call you both- have fun, this is for you and for the New Directions. Give Alistair a hug from me."

"Will do, see you back in Lima bestie," Spencer rolled off the bed.

"Ok, I'm going to do this," Ryder addressed Becca again; "We're going to do this."

"You are."

"Great- ok, I love you Becs. Thanks for the pep talk, you always cheer me up."

"Love you too handsome, break a leg," she blew an air kiss, "Bye bye honey."

"See ya beautiful."

Ryder went to the bathroom before following his friends downstairs to the lobby. Mr. Schue counted their heads and off they walked to the performing arts centre. For this year's outfits, they'd gone for black and white. The boys wore black trousers and shoes with white shirts. The girls wore black dresses with white sleeves and waist, along with dark heels.

Though everyone was excitedly chatting, they fell to a nervous silence when they arrived in the busy venue. Around them, some of the most famous show choirs in the country were making themselves known.

"We'll go get us checked in," Mr. Schue told them, heading over to the table with Mrs. Pillsbury.

The teachers had only been gone for a few moments when trouble started.

"Well well well, if it isn't the No Directions?"

Vocal Adrenaline stood only a few centimetres from the group, headed up by Clint.

The New Directions were immediately on alert, arched backs and scowls. Both teams were like rival lion prides, waiting to sniff out the others' weaknesses before going for the throat. Clint stood in front of his group, Jake and Kitty- the unofficial co-captains- stood in front of theirs. Hands on hips, their faces were millimetres away from each other. The only way they could be closer was if they were actually touching.

"It's so great of you to show your faces to make it two consecutive years of being beaten by us at Nationals. I'm sure that idiot teacher of yours has shown you how to do the 'reach for the stars' and 'toe points' as brilliantly as the five year olds it's meant for. Whilst you're prancing on the stage without any rhythm, we'll be waiting in the wings for our trophy. I guess certain people might be at the back because they look like they're trying to poop- yes, I'm looking at the seventh Weasley brother, Meathead and Wide Load."

Alistair and Roderick had to hold Spencer back before he bashed Clint's face to the ground.

"How cute," Clint sneered, "Anyway, I heard a rumour you were featuring the Thai Lady Boy as one of your star performers."

"You weren't saying that when I was in Vocal Adrenaline," Unique snapped back.

"You lost under Vocal Adrenaline; you lose under the New Directions. They're just parading you around like a 19th century freak show," the girl next to Clint mocked.

"At least Unique doesn't look like a returned sex toy," Kitty responded, looking the girl up and down.

"Coming from the girl whose face is deflated."

"Why are we resorting to insults here?" Marley interrupted, "It's a show choir competition, there's no need to be cruel."

"Step back girl, I'm not finished with these losers," Kitty stepped forward, "We are amazing and we are going to beat your ass so hard that you won't be able to sit down for weeks. The days of Vocal Adrenaline are long gone; you're just pathetic losers who think they're hot shit because they can afford pretty props to distract from their lack of talent."

"At least we can dance, you guys look like the special school when you're on stage," Clint smugly replied.

"I got into Juilliard actually," Jake told him, equally as smugly.

"The must have felt sorry for you, special dispensation for freaks."

"HEY!"

They all whirled around to see Mr. Schue standing there, Mrs. Pillsbury behind them,

"Let's not be attacking one another at a choir competition- I don't want to see my kids getting insulted like this. Clint, it's best that you and your team walk away right now before there are any problems. We will see you later."

Under his angry eye, Vocal Adrenaline walked away, but not before scoffing at them.

"Ok guys," Mr. Schue elected not to scold his team, "We are number three and Vocal Adrenaline is number six. Before us are the Steel Tones from Pittsburgh and the Long Island Liberteens. It's good that we're early; it means that we are at the focal point of the judge's focus, but it's bad in that it means we won't be fresh in their minds. Now, let's get to our room."

Muttering angrily to themselves about their rivals, they followed the teachers into a small side room.

There wasn't much to do in the time leading up to their performance, apart from practicing a few moves and practicing vocal runs. Once they had done it, Mr. Schue called them into a circle.

"Ok guys, we're just gonna have to do this. For most of you, it's our last shot at glory. I am, however, confident. I'm proud of all the people you have become and the talent that is in this room. We have such a variety of voices, all so beautiful and important to the group. You're not just a team, you're a family- we're a family. It's cohesive; I see in you what I want to see in Daniel when he grows up. When you're on that stage, I know that you will be the best in the room, whatever the judges say. If it's ok with you all, Jake and Kitty would like to lead you in prayer from both the Torah and the Bible. Anyway who wishes not to, may step away."

Nobody did.

"Ok, let's join hands."

The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Amen."

"Amen."

"Great lets-"

"Before we finish Mr. Schue, the seniors would like to say a few words," Jake started, "When I joined Glee club, I was a lot cause. I lived with a single mom, never knew my father and was so angry at the world. I hated everything and everyone; I probably would have ended up with several kids by graduation at the rate I was going. Glee club made me better, made me a better person. I got to know my half brother and have non-blood family of my own. I can't say I was perfect and yes, I have made so many mistakes, but I've become a man in the same way Puck did. Thanks Glee club."

"When I joined Glee, I was a horrible person," Kitty continued, "I hated everyone in the club and thought you were all the biggest losers ever. Out of sheer cruelty, I gave an innocent girl laxatives and convinced her to starve and binge. Had I not been in Glee, I would have never grown out of that. Everyone used to be afraid of me, now I actually have friends who love and care for me. I found that I have a love of performing that I would have never bothered with. Thanks Glee club."

"I was the poor girl with the large mom," Marley added, "I went through so many schools and got picked on, even when I tried to be what they thought I wanted to be. I thought McKinley would be the same, but it wasn't. At McKinley, I found a group of people who would look out for me at whatever cost. Through Glee, I got opportunities which allowed me to get full financial aid to college. My life is better because of it. Thanks Glee club."

"In Vocal Adrenaline, I was the dancing bear- no one cared about Unique the person, I was just the trans performer," Unique gave a sad smile, "The New Directions supported who I was when even my own parents didn't. I get to perform because I love it and I get solos because I earned it, not because of my identity. I can go to sleepovers and have girls' nights like nothing matters, because it doesn't. I'm happy with who I am and one day, I'll have been made a girl biologically as well. Thanks Glee club."

"When I arrived at McKinley, I was in danger of flunking and would be ineligible to be in the football team. At other schools, I didn't have many friends. Finn Hudson was right, that day, when he told me how great Glee club would be. I got to find a love of performing that like others, I didn't know I had. My grades have improved because my dyslexia finally got noticed; I got the help I needed. Glee club gave me confidence; it gave me the best of friends and have me the courage to be with the girl I love. I'm happier. Thanks Glee club."

"In Chicago, I was the fat loner who everyone bullied. Ok, so not much has changed in some respects, but people are finally nice to me," Roderick laughed slightly, "I get to perform with true friends and am on my way to a top music school. Whenever the jocks are dicks, I know I have fifteen other people to back me up and wipe off the slushies. I never thought I'd have friends, but I do and it's better than I could have ever dreamed of. Thanks Glee club."

"Before Glee, I was just another hipster kid who bashed his ukulele alone in his room. I was just satisfied with life but I didn't know what being in a true friendship group was," Alistair told them, "Now I get the satisfaction of knowing that I spent two years in the greatest club there ever was. I got to be with a great boy and be comfortable around people very different to me. Thanks Glee club."

"I was kind of a dick before Glee; some of you may think not much has changed," Spencer shrugged, "Back then, I was just another jock afraid to dance outside of his room because I was scared of what people would have thought of me. I took a chance and I'm really glad I did, because I had the best time with you all. Unlike a lot of you, I'm not going into the arts but I'll always have it with me. I got to meet a great boy as well, a guy who would have rightly rejected me for being an ass if I wasn't in the New Directions. Thanks Glee club."

Now finished, everyone turned to Mr. Schue, who had a tear in his eye. He wasn't the only one- Unique and Marley were also misty eyed.

"Thank you guys," their teacher clearly had a lump in his throat, "That means so much. Now, show circle everyone, hands in. On three...one, two, three..."

"AMAZING!"

"Alright everybody, I'll get you ready backstage before I watch you proudly from the audience. Let's go everybody, go to the bathroom if you need it- peeing on stage won't do us any favours."

Mr. Schue led them all backstage, hugging every student and wishing them well. Once he'd hugged the last person, he headed off to sit with his wife in the audience. The Long Island Liberteens were still performing, showing off some impressive moves, though some of the boys looked close to dropping the girls.

"The redhead is hot," Jake whispered to Ryder, "What do you think?"

"I'm with Becca."

"For me, not you," Jake smiled at the girl as she rushed off the stage, "Hey remember that girl who flirted with you at sectionals last year? What was her name again? Genevieve or something."

"Giselle," Ryder whispered back.

"Yeah her, she was hot. You should have said yes when she asked you out."

"Well I was still mad on Becca then and considering I ended up dating her not later on, I think it was for the best," Ryder responded as the stage manager ushered them all into position, "Anyway, it's time now. Break a leg man, we're gonna kill it."

They high fived, going to the boys' side of the stage. The girls stood at the other side, whilst Roderick and Unique remained backstage for the time being.

"Now all the way from William McKinley High in Lima, Ohio, it's the NEW DIRECTIONS!"

Everyone applauded as the curtains went up. The group turned around as the music started playing, vocalising non-words from their mouth.

 _Every night I grab some money and I go down to the bar_

 _I got my buddies and a beer, I got a dream, I need a car_

 _You got me begging on my knees, c'mon and throw the dog a bone_

 _A man he doesn't live by rock 'n roll and brew alone_

 _Baby baby  
_

The boys surrounded Roderick like they were in a bar, the girls doing the same to Unique. Roderick pretended to be singing to Unique as the boys egged him on, whilst the girls laughed and rolled her eyes at him.

He continued the next verse before Unique started.

 _Ever since I can remember you been hanging 'round this joint_

 _You been trying to look away but now you finally got the point_

 _I don't have to know your name and I won't tell you what to do_

 _But a girl, she doesn't live by only rock 'n roll and brew_

 _Baby baby, baby baby_

They continued the duet, the remaining members providing vocals. Once that song was done, the underclassmen rushed off the stage, leaving the seniors to sing.

 _Lost in twilight, the memories_

 _Precious moments, you and me_

Kitty followed Jake.

 _We've been old friends, all through the years_

 _Picture postcards, sharing tears_

Ryder started that next line, Marley following him.

 _What's in our hearts, there's never time, to say_

 _Need you tonight, lover don't fade away_

 _I've seen your city lights_

 _As I walk away_

The seniors sang about wishing that the night would never end, mirroring how they felt about the Glee experience. Once they finished, the underclassmen joined them for one last song.

 _Oh we're not gonna take it_

 _No, we ain't gonna take it_

 _Oh we're not gonna take it anymore_

 _We've got the right to choose it_

 _There ain't no way we'll lost it_

 _This is our life, this is our song_

Jake and Kitty led them all in the dance, mainly basic ballroom moves and spinning around. Ryder felt confident with it as he spun Roxy around, both of them moving to the beat. When the music crashed to a halt, the group was standing in a wide circle on the steps.

They were given a standing ovation; Mr. Schue and Mrs. Pillsbury clear in the sea of people. Bowing slightly, they rushed off the stage, jumping over one another with excitement. They felt more confident after it happened, relieved that it was all over.

"Guys, guys," Jake called them to attention, "We've decided that we're not going to watch Vocal Adrenaline because it's just going to bring us down. Instead, we're going to have refreshments in our room and celebrate how goddamn awesome we are."

They all cheered, following their leader. Someone put a music shuffle on their phone, playing in the background as they conversed.

Ryder eventually found himself standing next to Marley.

"I think we did well," Marley noted.

"Yeah I'm confident. I'm glad Jake decided not to watch Vocal Adrenaline; it might be able to chill us out. Roderick and Unique were great."

"They were," Marley nodded, "I just can't believe senior year is nearly over, we're graduating in two weeks. It felt like two minutes since we both started in Glee club- I think it's safe to say that we were a big part of each other's sophomore years."

Ryder laughed, "Yeah, we totally did. I still can't believe I decked Jake after an R.E.M song in the choir room; it was just so dramatic and embarrassing now I look back at it. Look, I'm sorry about how I was. Kissing you when you were with Jake, that was totally out of line and disrespectful to the both of you. I put you in an awkward position, which was wrong. I was also wrong to keep on pursuing you, especially soon after Jake. Sorry about that."

"I forgive you. I jumped straight onto Jake when you had to cancel over a medical appointment, that was totally out of order. I mean, I know it wasn't leading you on, but I dumped you at the first opportunity and that wasn't cool. Jake was great for a time, but then obviously he cheated on me. It wasn't meant to be for either of us."

"You deserved to have a fantastic boyfriend."

"I swore off men after Jake. Yeah high school is meant to be about finding yourself, but I know that I didn't need a man for me to do that. I have college to find relationships, college boys will be mature. None of us really dated anyway after sophomore year, apart from you anyway. You're the one who got the luckiest with Becca."

"I still can't believe I got to be with the most popular girl in school. You know, I'm going to miss being with her so much when we go off to college; I really do love her more than anything in the world. I'd love to have one more year at least, but we can't. It all worked out for the best, what happened. I learned from my terrible, terrible mistakes and got to be a better boyfriend to Becca because of it."

"You never know how it will work out in the future- you might be together," Marley suggested, "Fate works in mysterious ways."

Ryder rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say. Anyway, I'm going to text Becca, back in a bit."

He went over to his phone, about to find her contact before deciding to go on the live stream to see if Becca had commented. The last performance had been Vocal Adrenaline and, true to her word, Becca had added her thoughts.

 _Yeah they're not all they're hyped up to be._

 _Those dance moves were fumbled in places._

 _They look angry, smile more._

 _Why does the girl at the front look like she needs to crap herself?_

Ryder laughed under his breath before scrolling down to when the New Directions had been on.

 _They're the best! 3 New Directions all the way xxx_

 _The tall guy with the brown hair and the one with the shaved hair are the best._

 _This soloist is the hottest in the competition 3_

 _Great duet! Two fab voices._

 _Gonna be praying hard for them all xxx_

She was sweet, Ryder noticed, as he went onto her contact.

 _I think it all went well, feeling very confident. Thanks for all the comments you made, they were great, made me laugh. Love you Becs, you mean the world to me and I can't wait to celebrate with you xxx_

He put his phone away and walked back to the group.

Mr. Schue arrived back, feeling euphoric with confidence. He did admit that Vocal Adrenaline were absolutely phenomenal, but still felt they were in with a good shot. Mrs. Pillsbury remained in the audience, waiting until the PA system announced numbers 4-12.

"So we're either not in the top 12 or we're in the top three," Mr. Schue crossed his fingers as they huddled together, waiting for the announcement.

"The top three are asked to immediately head to the stage to receive their placements and trophies. Those three are: Change of Tune, Vocal Adrenaline and The New Directions."

Excitement went through the group as they realised they had a shot of winning, but also sad acknowledgement that there was the chance they would come second to Vocal Adrenaline _again._ Nervously, they headed onto the stage. Change of Tune stood in the middle, whilst Vocal Adrenaline glared from the other side of them, along with their director.

"Please welcome our guest judges- Kennedy family biographer Lisa Tulle, Boston bandleader Simon French and local radio host Barbara Keller."

Barbara took the microphone.

"Thank you all for coming," she spoke in a strong Boston accent, "It's been a really great day for show choir, with dozens of wonderful Glee clubs coming from across the country to compete in beautiful Boston, Massachusetts today! Unfortunately, only one team can be crowned National Show Choir Champions 2015."

"Remember that we are being sponsored by the Massachusetts Organ Donation Association- when you don't need your organs, give them to someone who does," Simon winked at the audience, who looked baffled.

"Now, without further ado," Lisa butted in, "In third place, all the way from Garland, Teas, it's CHANGE OF TUNE."

The group politely accepted their trophy, but they were only half hearted in their celebration as they were clearly disappointed to get third. Everyone applauded them still and they shuffled off the stage to make way for the other two groups.

Clint and his girlfriend were staring them down, trying to intimidate their rivals. Mr. Schue none verbally indicated that everyone look away.

"Now, there can only be one winner. Our first placed team and winner of the National Show Choir Championship of 2015..."

Barbara opened the envelope.

Everyone was terrified. Hands were squeezed, arms wrapped around one another and eyes were pinched close. Ryder had Unique clutching one arm tightly and Roxy leaning on his other shoulder. Behind him, Jake was holding both Kitty and Marley. Spencer and Alistair were also leaning on each other, the suspense killing them.

"...All the way from Lima, Ohio- the NEW DIRECTIONS."

At that moment, their collective breaths were released. They all piled on each other like they were on a football team, the members underneath almost buckling underneath the weights of their friends. Ryder found himself simultaneously hugging Kitty, Roxy, Unique, Marley and Jake, the six of them squishing together tightly. One he was released, and able to breathe again, he found himself celebrating with the other members. Under the bright spotlight, his eyes squinted and he couldn't even tell who he was celebrating with- he didn't care though, he was thrilled.

Mr. Schue went forward to claim the trophy, with Vocal Adrenaline getting the smaller, second place prize. He went to shake Clint's hand, but the disgusted teen glared at it before ushering his team off stage. Shrugging, Mr. Schue went back over, heaving the heavy trophy with him. They all surged forward to touch it and when all hands were on it, the trophy was lifted into the air.

As the confetti fell on them and the audience screamed their name, it all sunk in. They'd finally won Nationals after two consecutive years of loss. Vocal Adrenaline were in second place to them, as they had been in 2012.

Goddamn, it felt good to win.

 **Well New Directions have won.**

 **Next Time: The McKinley Class of 2015 are graduating. From speeches to hugs, it's a goodbye from the seniors and the penultimate chapter.**

 **Thanks again and hope to see you in the final two chapters xxx**


	21. Chapter 21

**DISCLAIMED**

 **We're on the penultimate chapter- one more after this and we are done. Thank you for all of the support so far, it's been phenomenal.**

 **Chapter 1**

Becca could scarcely believe this was her last time at McKinley as a high school student. Today, she would walk across the stage and receive her diploma. This was the last summer before she was a college student, officially an adult.

Cap and gowns often didn't flatter anyone, but she felt she looked great. Hair done and nails painted red, she wore a cute dress, chunky heels and her cross necklace. Still, she was nervously clutching the basin in one of the school bathrooms. Jordan was in the cubicle behind her, Aimee was touching up her makeup and Bree was pacing the room, talking loudly to no one in particular. They didn't have to do the valedictorian speech, she did.

It also made everything feel so real. She and Ryder would be ending things in a couple of months, enjoying a final perfect summer before they split off to enjoy college. Becca didn't want it to end, not for a little while anyway. Harvard was her dream, but she'd loved high school. No other place in the world allowed her to be the queen bee cheerleader who walked the halls as though she owned the place. It had all gone so well- cheer co-captain, prom queen, class valedictorian who had found her best friend and the guy she really loved. Becca would miss that perfect life, knowing she wouldn't have that again.

Her dream was coming true though. She was going to the best school in the world because of how hard she'd worked for it. That was getting her through the day without breaking down at the thought of leaving McKinley and Ryder. Becca wouldn't be the girl who peaked in high school, she knew that. Her future was bright.

"You really need to chill babe."

"Bree, you can't tell Becca to chill, she's the least relaxed of us all," Jordan sang as she washed her hands.

"You're still going to smash the speech girl," Bree assured.

"It's still the end though, isn't it?" Becca looked up from the sink, "Of high school, of all of this. It's not going to be the same as it was, coffee mornings on Saturdays and texting about hangovers on Sundays. We won't complain about how evil Coach Washington is or how we hate Kitty Wilde so damn much. When my parents told me that we were moving to Ohio, I was so angry, but then I've found that these have been the best two years of my life. How am I going to get through the valedictorian speech without breaking down?"

"Because you are the strongest person I know," Bree linked their hands, "You're too smart to know that this isn't the end. People split apart after college, but we know that we won't. Each of us here is gorgeous and sexy, college won't handle that. Only we four know how awesome we are. I know that I won't like those college bitches like I do you guys. Think, is my roomate going to tolerate my awfulness like you three do? Nope. High school has been amazing because everyone worships us."

"We're the Core Four," Aimee agreed, "Nobody in this place will ever rule it like we did. I know that even in my senior year of college and beyond, I will be messaging you all about boys that screw me over and girls that I have cat fights. I'll never forget the memories we have- Becca twerking on Cody's dining room table to _Get Low,_ Bree making that creepy college guy cry or Jordan somehow managing to hide the beer bottles from the cop that one time. High school doesn't last forever, but goddamn this friendship will."

"If I can have friends who never made fun of my Neckbrace..."

"...To your face," Bree muttered.

"...Then I know they're for keeps," Jordan threw Bree a dark look, "We're all getting out of Lima. In twenty years, I'll be the best nurse in the country, Bree will be designing major buildings, Aimee will be the premier speech therapist in the industry and Becca will have cured a major disease. Boys will come and go, but hoes before bros for life. I wouldn't trade you for all the silicone in Santana Lopez's fake boobs."

"Meow," Bree did a claw motion with her hands, "But we are gonna talk every month- I will hunt you all down if we don't."

"Let's promise it- once a month, no matter what," Becca suggested, "Pinkies out ladies."

They all put their pinkies in together, shaking it in the middle of the huddle.

"Come on, we have to make our presence known," Aimee pushed them all out of the bathroom. They linked their arms together as they walked down the corridor, laughing loudly as they shared their memories together. The red graduation gowns flapped behind them.

Backstage, everyone was chatting amongst themselves before they were called in to get their diplomas. The four girls separated for the time being, going to different people.

"Becca!"

Gabrielle Toya, the head of the Christian Club, waved over for her.

"We're saying a prayer, want to join us?" she asked.

Becca didn't need asking twice, going to join hands with the huddle of people. Once everyone was set, they all did the sign of the cross on themselves before Gabrielle led them in prayer.

" _Our Father, who art in heaven,_

 _hallowed be thy name;_

 _thy kingdom come;_

 _thy will be done;_

 _on earth as it is in heaven._

 _Give us this day our daily bread._

 _And forgive us our trespasses,_

 _as we forgive those who trespass against us._

 _And lead us not into temptation;_

 _but deliver us from evil._

 _For thine is the kingdom,_

 _the power and the glory,_

 _forever and ever._

 _Amen."_

"Great," Gabrielle smiled, "I invite you to all share a favourite verse. Mine for today is Psalm 119:66- ' _Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands_.' Let's go around the circle."

They went around, getting to Becca halfway through.

"Mine is 1 Timothy 1:5- _But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith_.''

After everyone had finished, Gabrielle commanded attention again, "I don't know if I will see any of you again after today, but I am honoured to have served Christ with you all. May God bless you in your further endeavours and may you continue to be faithful to Him. You are all deserving of such great things- all of our classmates are. Good luck everyone."

They all hugged and exchanged well wishes before breaking away. Becca went straight over to Spencer.

" _It's our last chance to share the stage, before we go our separate ways- high school wasn't meant to last forever."_

"Did you just sing High School Musical?" an incredulous Becca asked.

"Nobody will believe you," Spencer put a conspiratory finger to his lips, "How are you feeling then?"

"I just can't believe it's nearly over," Becca shook her head, "Two years ago I was starting a new school in a new state and I was angry as hell about that fact. Two years later, I am about to graduate an amazing school with my best friend in the world, a bunch of great pals and the guy I love. I know I've got a great future but I kinda want it to just pause for a single second you know? This is the start of our adult lives, we're not young anymore. I've been so lucky; I've had this perfect high school life- popular, great grades and friends. Harvard is going to be my dream, I am going to get a brilliant education and have so many opportunities. The thing is I know it's not going to be the same. I know it sounds vain, but I like being popular and have people be jealous of me walking down the halls. What I'll miss most if all of this. You're in Boston with me, but we won't see each other every day. Ryder and everyone else are miles away. I won't be wearing my Cheerios uniform again, taking it off and putting that in the box felt so wrong. No more sunny days on the steps, hearing the Glee club sing in the choir room or cheering for the Titans on the football field. It's all so weird. Why do I feel like this?"

"Believe me; everyone I've spoken to today has felt the same thing. I'm going to miss this place too, I was king of it. I was prom king, full football scholarship and a great time in Glee club. Still, it's only been four years of high school- two years of it together. We have so much going for us. In a couple of months, we are going to be living away from home for the first time in a major US city. We can cook what we like, set out own curfews and drink like a European. We're free to pursue our own lives. Boston is going to be amazing, as is college. High school will give us the best memories, but so will college. Like they said in Casablanca- we'll always have McKinley."

"I don't think Humphrey Bogart said that," Becca cocked her head; "I suppose we can always go back to the yearbook to remind ourselves of the old days."

The Thunderclap of 2014/15 had the usual superlatives, with Spencer and Becca having been voted in for several of them. They'd both won Most Popular and Most Likely to Succeed, along with Best Friendship. Becca had won Most Intelligent Girl and Most Likely to Win a Nobel Prize, as well as Cutest Couple along with Ryder. Spencer got Most Athletic Boy and Most Likely to Win the Super Bowl.

Their friends had won awards. Roderick and Marley won Best Voice, Jake and Kitty won Best Dancer, Unique had won Biggest Change, Alistair had won Most Artistic and Ryder had won Best Smile. They'd all come out of it suitably pleased.

"How are you feeling about ending things with Ryder?"

"I'm coming to terms with it, but I'm still going to be an absolute mess when it happens. I know it's the right thing to do, but it's hard."

"I'll be the same with Alistair, maybe without the blubbering that you'll be doing."

"Mean," Becca smacked his arm, "Anyway, here comes my Prince Charming."

"Mind if I steal my girl for a second?" Ryder asked as he came over.

"You kids have fun- use protection," Spencer did a little dance before turning away to talk to Alistair. When he was gone, Ryder pulled Becca closer to him by her waist.

"Hi," he whispered, kissing her nose.

"Hi," she whispered back."

"How are you feeling about your valedictorian speech?"

"Nervous."

"You've been through it a billion times. I've heard some of it; I bet all of it is going to be absolutely perfect. Whatever happens, you'll have a standing ovation from me. You've been planning this speech since you started pre-k, nothing can go wrong. After this is finished, we are going to have an amazing post-graduation party at Cody's and from then on we are going to have a blast of a summer. I wish things weren't ending, but you and I are going to make it work. Becs, I couldn't be prouder to have you making this speech- no one in this school is smarter or more focused than you. Remember that age old thing? Imagine everyone in their underwear, that's what performers do when they're nervous. You won't have too much trouble with me."

"Considering I hope to see it later, I think not," Becca wrapped her arms around his neck, "I really don't want to imagine Principal Sylvester in some old granny panties."

"Well then look at me the entire time. Keep your eyes on me; know that nobody in that room is rooting for you more. Team effort, ok?"

"Yeah," Becca nodded, "Yeah, you're right. I've got you; I've got my parents and Spencer. This is 100 times less stressful than applying to Harvard or waiting for my SAT scores. The worst that can happen is that I end up on a YouTube compilation entitled 'worse valedictorian speeches ever.' Internet fame, here I come."

"Hey look at me," Ryder put his hand under Becca's chin, "You are going to rock this. I didn't even need to pray for you last night because I know that you are going to absolutely own it. I love you Becs, ok? I love you more than anything and absolutely know that nobody is more prepared than you. It's going to go down a storm."

At that point, Mrs. Pillsbury came backstage.

"Everyone line up! Ceremony is about to start, make sure that you are in the right place."

"You're going to do this, got it? I love you."

"Love you too," Becca leaned up to kiss Ryder.

Everyone lined up according to surname, Becca ahead of all of her closest friends. On stage, Principal Sylvester called everyone to attention.

"Welcome family and friends of the William McKinley High School Class of 2015. Today is a day to celebrate our many achievements- this class received the highest SAT scores in McKinley history, are attending some of the best colleges in the country and are on track to receive success, no thanks to the leadership of this fine institution. We will call the graduates to receive their diploma, followed by a multimedia presentation and the valedictorian speech. Before that, I will say a few words."

The speech was classic Sue Sylvester, hidden under a veneer of professionalism. Once that was done, she began to call everyone on stage, the first being Unique by virtue of her surname.

"Unique Adams- Columbus College of Art and Design, Fashion Design. Unique has been a member of the New Directions glee club and the LGBT Alliance."

Unique curtsied as she came upon the stage, hugging Mrs. Pillsbury and holding her diploma high in the air.

"Jessica Dawson- The George Washington University, Political Science. Jessica was our Senior Class President, a member of the Student Council and in the yearbook committee."

After a while, it was Becca's turn.

Rebecca Hamilton- Harvard University, Cellular and Molecular Biology. Becca is our class valedictorian, National Merit Scholar, Prom Queen, co-captain of the Cheerios and part of our STEM team."

Becca flipped her hair back as she came on stage, strutting over to get her diploma. In the audience, she got a standing ovation from her family (parents, Wendy, Patrick and both sets of grandparents), the Lynns and the Porters. Tottering over to Mrs. Pillsbury, she gave her a giant hug and accepted her diploma, also embracing a very unhappy Principal Sylvester. She then joined the others in the crowd on stage.

"Marissa Lake- Kent State, English Literature. Marissa is the Vice Senior Class President and member of the Prom Committee."

"Cody Lewinsky- Northwestern University, Economics. Cody has been an active part of our Social Events Committee and a peer mentor."

"Phillip Lipoff- Central State University, Exercise Science. Phil is a member of our Titan wrestling and football teams."

"Ryder Lynn- Bowling Green State University, Business. Ryder is a member of the New Directions glee club and the Titans football team."

Ryder received a massive whoop from his family, his sister letting out the biggest cheer. He smiled as he hugged Mrs. Pillsbury, before going over to stand beside Becca. She whispered how proud she was of him, giving him a large smile as he squeezed her hand.

"Roderick Meeks- Musicians Institute, Music. Roderick has been a member of the New Directions glee club."

"Bree Moore- Ohio State University, Architecture. Bree is co-captain of the Cheerios and winner of the Ohio Young Architects competition."

Bree walked on that stage like she owned it, hugging Becca tightly once she got close enough.

"Spencer Porter- University of Massachusetts, Boston, Journalism. Spencer was captain of the Titans football team, member of the New Directions glee club and Prom King."

Spencer did finger guns on stage; shaking Mrs. Pillsbury's hand instead of hugs- he really didn't do them. He and Becca did their special handshake and he stood with her.

"Jacob Puckerman- Juilliard, Dance. Jake was co-captain of the New Directions glee club and part of the dance team."

"Alistair Reed- Cleveland Institute of Arts, Game Design. Alistair was part of the New Directions glee and art clubs."

"Marley Rose- Oberlin Conservatory, Vocals. Marley has been a member of our New Directions glee club and middle school mentorship scheme."

"Aimee Ryan- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Speech and Hearing Sciences. Aimee has been a member of the Cheerios and middle school mentorship scheme."

"Jordan Stern- Case Western Reserve, Nursing. Jordan has been a member of the Cheerios and volunteer at Lima General Hospital."

"Robert Surette – Ohio Northern University, Sports Management. Bobby has participated in Titans football and wrestling."

"Kitty Wilde- Biola University, Worship Arts. Kitty has been a member of the Cheerios and co-captain of the New Directions glee club."

Once the last person was called out, everyone headed to their seats. Becca sat between Bree and Spencer, Ryder immediately behind her. Clutching her diploma in her hands, she rested her head on Spencer's shoulder and watched Principal Sylvester take the podium again.

"We will celebrate the McKinley Class of 2015 with a selection of photos and videos taken from over their years at the school. Lights please."

It started with the class photo. Throughout it, Becca was delighted to see pictures of her- her prom photo with Spencer; lifting the Cheer Nationals trophy; stood between Spencer and Ryder during a football game and others. There were several videos as well, like one that Joshua Ben Israel had captured of her, Bree, Jordan and Aimee laughing as they practiced cheers on the field. That one was particularly sweet; it had the four of them smiling at one another when they saw it.

The AV club had done a good job with it and had done their damn homework when it came to images. It ended with the same picture as it begun with- the class of 2015 all together. Becca was dead centre, between Spencer and Bree again. Spencer had made her laugh just as the photographer snapped the picture, but luckily it had managed to show Becca's best side.

"Thank you everyone," they could all tell Principal Sylvester looked less than impressed, her face in a tight grimace, "Now a few words from our valedictorian. This year's valedictorian is an impressive young lady..."

Becca could tell that her principal hated saying all this.

"...Nominated for Prom Queen in both junior and senior year, she won for the latter. She successfully co-captained the award winning Cheerios to two National championships, is a National Merit Scholar and has won many awards for the school in STEM. Please welcome her, Miss. Becca Hamilton."

Ryder, Spencer, Bree, Jordan, Aimee, Alistair and several others were immediately on their feet before she even started. Smiling, she jogged up the stage and took the podium.

"Hi everyone, thank you so much for coming. Well, here we are. After four years of hard work, we're finally finishing high school. It seems like just yesterday that we were wide eyed freshman thinking that it would be like the movies, but we stand here with our cap and gowns. I can't imagine how many of our teachers are happy to see the back of us; we're probably the ones who helped them on their way to retirement. Mrs. Lawson has gone from two coffees in the morning until four, maybe she'll quit after we've gone."

The elderly geometry teacher looked offended at the laughter.

"William McKinley High School is a place like no other. I look at my fellow classmates and see the jock who loves to sing on stage, the cheerleader who volunteers in the hospital and the diva who really transformed into her true self. After this day, the only time we'll all be together again is at our ten year high school reunion, when we've lost our hair and get beer bellies. We promise that we will remain friends, but yeah, we are going to fall apart. Whatever happens, each of us is going to look back with memories that we'll cherish for a lifetime. We've had a beautiful prom, won awards and made friends that actually will last until we're old and grey. They say high school years are the best of your life and whilst we can't know for sure until we're older, I'm willing to bet that there is some truth in that. Everyone graduating today has a bright future waiting for them, from top 10 colleges to serving our beloved country in the military. I look across the auditorium and know that every one of these guys has the potential to be the best that they can be. For many of us, it's going to be hard leaving our comfort zone so I ask you all this- why not think about times to come? Yes, I know about the bet amongst you all that I would sneak a Fleetwood Mac reference into this speech. Congratulations to whoever won the pool, especially for the lyric."

"I won!" Bobby yelled, causing everyone to laugh.

"Well Bobby has $20 towards being a non broke college student, so I feel I have contributed well. I'd like to take a moment to highlight several amazing classmates who I have come to know over the years. Unique Adams has resisted a lot of trash talk from people, all whilst transitioning into her true identity. She is going to be the biggest fashion designer in the country one day- let's hear it for Unique everybody."

The whole room applauded, Unique going ruby red.

"I am biased for the next person because he is my best friend, but this class has seen a truly remarkable athlete amongst its ranks. Spencer Porter has a full athletic scholarship to his college and has captained our Titans team to record victories, along with Coach Beiste. When college is over, I know full well that he is going to be a wide receiver in the NFL. He's my best friend and I can't wait to see him achieve his dreams- let's hear it for Spencer everybody."

Spencer smirked, winking at his best friend. Becca winked back before continuing.

"Gabrielle Toya got injured preventing a little boy from being hit by a speeding motorbike. She may have broken her arm, but she certainly didn't break her spirit. As head of the Christian Club, her faith has served as an inspiration to me. I wish more people were like Gabrielle, she saved someone that day. I think Gabrielle deserves a huge round of applause for her awesomeness."

Gabrielle blushed, hiding in her dark hair.

"I am biased for this next person, but Ryder Lynn has come leaps and bounds ever since he started at McKinley. He didn't let his dyslexia bring him down; he instead studied and worked in order to be the best he could. Ryder didn't let it define him and showed that it is a disorder, in no way a handicap or anything to be ashamed of. He will be attending a great college this fall and it's all down to how hard he has worked. I'm lucky enough to love him, so let's show Ryder some appreciation."

Ryder mouthed an 'I love you' at Becca, who mouthed it back.

"Lastly, three of our class will be joining the military. Dani Nichols and Manuel Marquez will be joining the United States Army and Justin Hope will be joining the United States Navy. We cannot deny the bravery one must have to join the military, risking their life for their country and not knowing what each day will bring. Dani, Manuel and Justin are three of the bravest people in this room. I feel so glad knowing that these three will be defending our country. If they so choose, I can imagine that they will go far. May God bless them and this audience applaud them."

The room ignited for the three, Becca included.

"We also must thank our teachers and faculty. Principal Sylvester terrifies us beyond belief, but she pushes us to be the best we can be and she's driven up McKinley standards. Mrs. Pillsbury is phenomenal counsellor who I am sure has helped so many of us with our problems and was great in helping us apply to college. Mr. Schuester has made the Glee club great again and inspired a lot of arts in so many of his members. Coach Washington also works us to the bone, but she is one of the reasons why our Cheerios are so successful. Coach Beiste, well, everyone want to win football games for Coach Beiste."

"I must also thank McKinley for my personal journey. I started at McKinley in my junior year, not knowing what to expect. I have had a wonderful time here. Being a Cheerio is one of the best parts of this school and I was so lucky to be the co-captain for two perfect years. My girls and guys are the best and I know we are in safe hands. My classmates honoured me by voting me in as Senior Prom Queen, which I am forever thankful for- it's a night I'll never forget. McKinley supported me getting a National Merit Scholarship and achieving my lifetime goal of attending Harvard. I met a boy who I really love- Ryder is the best. Spencer, Bree, Aimee, Jordan and Katie- you are the best friends in the world I could ask for. I am so lucky to have Spencer with me in Boston and have no doubt I will be friends for life with them all."

"I cannot speak for everyone in this room when I thank God and Jesus Christ, but I know I can speak for them all when I thank McKinley High. The class of 2015 will go down in history as one like no other, full of the most extraordinary people. McKinley, it's been an honour- thank you."

She immediately received a standing ovation, her friends and family leading it. Her eyes landed straight on Ryder, who was cheering her name over and over again. Blushing with excitement, she thanked Principal Sylvester and Mrs. Pillsbury. Her classmates had started to sit down, several of them congratulating her when she was back in her seat.

"Proud of you babe," Ryder whispered, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you to our valedictorian. It is my honour to announce that the McKinley High Class of 2015 has officially graduated."

Throwing their caps into the air, they let out an almighty cheer. Becca was pulled into a hug with her girlfriends, the four bouncing up and down with excitement. She and Spencer did their special handshake as well. Hugging her classmates, she felt a surge of energy. Hooking her arms around Ryder, the two passionately kissed.

"The refreshments are outside, our graduates will join them after their photo," Coach Sylvester announced, "Please try to use different exits to get everyone out smoothly."

Once the photos were taken, the graduates headed back out onto the field.

"There's my baby!" Mona opened her arms, pulling Becca in them, "You made me cry, you were just so brilliant and so kind, seeing you up there was brilliant. No wonder you're going to Harvard, that speech was every so mature. That gown suits you, I'm so jealous of how pretty you look. Oh Andrew, give me my hanky again I need to blow my nose. Come here darling; let me sort your hair out."

"Mom, stop fussing," Becca tried to bat Mona away.

"It's so nice to have a good graduation," Estelle, Becca's grandmother, stated, "I'm so proud of you dear, you've been such a good girl. It's been so lovely, hasn't it?"

Wendy darted her eyes away. She'd barely graduated high school and had been high on marijuana on that day, walking like a zombie as her brother tried to be the best representation for the family. Richard and Estelle still hadn't quite forgiven Wendy for her disappearing act, even though they were thrilled to have her home. Andrew would always be the good son who graduated college, married a good Christian woman and had a child in wedlock. Estelle always pursed her lips when it was mentioned that Wendy didn't know who Patrick's father was. The family were traditional. Becca was that golden granddaughter, pretty and talented. She could just bat her eyes and her grandparents went mad for her. Becca knew that her grandparents wouldn't shut up about her being at Harvard, they'd go on and on about how she was the perfect religious hard worker.

"Let's get some pictures," Patrick interrupted, glaring at his grandmother, "Great speech Becs."

Whilst Becca had never been close to Wendy, she and Patrick got along pretty well. The pair being a similar age helped, with less baggage. They hung out sometimes; she missed her maternal cousins in Spokane. Patrick had met a girl when he'd done her car, a pre-school teacher called Lily. Becca had met her, she was sweet- maybe she'd be willing to have the army of kids Patrick wanted.

After the photos, the Porters headed over.

"Becca Boo!"

"Kit Kat!"

She whirled Katie in her arms. Becca had wanted Katie as the cheer captain for the coming year, but Roz Washington wanted someone more experiences so that didn't happen. Out of everyone, Katie was going to be one of the people she missed most of all. She wanted to see more of Katie in high school, but was proud to know that she'd watch her grow up. Katie was like a little sister to her, a sibling in all but blood.

Spencer semi-hugged her, whilst the other Porters actually hugged her. The Porter clan was a very large one, doubling Becca's- though she didn't have her aunt, uncle and cousins on her mom's side to join them. Alistair's family also joined them.

It was a whirl of pictures and videos, Becca took them with every person imaginable from Bree to the kid in her lab who she barely knew. A smile was plastered on her face throughout the entire thing, her legs aching from doing jumps in the air.

As the day went on, Jessica Lynn went over to her.

"I am really sorry that you and Ryder are breaking up after this," the older lady played with Becca's hair, "You're so good for him and he's good for you. I couldn't ask for a better girl for him, you've helped him so much. I hope that you reconnect in the future. You know what? I think that 700 miles will be a lot fewer in the future."

"Well we'll have to see what God and Ryder decide," Becca laughed, "I am going to miss him a lot."

"Liv wants you as a sister in law."

"I think planning a metaphorical wedding might be a bit far," she turned around to see Ryder standing alone at the curb, "I'm going to go talk to him, see you later."

Jessica gave her a knowing look. Becca went over to the curb, taking Ryder's hand. The two silently looked at the parking lot, not the most romantic of sights.

"How many days until our last day together?" Ryder asked.

"Exactly 90," Becca replied, "Exactly 90. It's going to go so fast, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Ryder nodded, "But on the bright side, I know that these are going to be the best ninety days ever. It's going to be hard, but I really do love you Becca. Maybe we'll meet other people in the future and live our lives with them, but I find it hard to imagine having the feelings I have for you for anyone else. Look, I know that whatever happens, I will always love you. Meeting you was one of the best parts of high school and falling in love with you, well that was a pleasure. Tonight we are going to have the time of our lives at Cody's party and after that; we are going to spend a movie perfect summer together. We're doing the right thing, I hope you know that. We're ending things on our terms, it makes it better. Who knows what the future holds?"

"Only God knows anything," Becca squeezed his hands, "I'm glad I moved to Lima and one of the best things about it was meeting the guy I love. This summer is going to be amazing, and then we will move onto our epic future. We're both going to dream colleges to study what we love. I for one cannot wait to watch YouTube performances of you doing musical theatre or acapella. Let's hope that things turn out for the best- for both of us."

"I love you Becs."

"I love you too Ryder."

With her head on his shoulder, they quietly stood together, wondering what the future would bring.

 **They've graduated!**

 **Next Time: it's an epilogue. What will we see? Are Ryder and Becca destined to be together in the future?**

 **Thanks again, don't forget to review and I hope that I'll see you on the other side for the final chapter xxx**


	22. Chapter 22

**DISCLAIMED**

 **Final chapter you guys.**

 **Chapter 22**

Ryder and Becca had spent a perfect summer together before they parted ways for college; the blonde sobbing in her then ex's arms at the thought of them ending things. It had, however, been surprisingly easy to keep in touch. Much as both had wanted, they remained great friends throughout the first four years of college. They face timed, messaged and communicated in every way, as close as they had been- without the romance of course. It had been hard for them to get back into dating as they were so used to the mindset of being with one another. Each had been in relationships, however serious, but nothing like they had with one another.

Becca and Spencer's relationship had only strengthened, if that was possible. The two being in different colleges with new friends did nothing to break the strong bond that they had, it was just as it had always been. Even in busy study periods, the two would make sure to meet up at least twice a week. They had their own groups, but they also had one another. Whether it was good news or a crisis, they would go to the other person first above anyone. In their senior year, they were joined in Boston by Katie, would be attending Boston College.

She'd also kept her promise of being close with Bree, Aimee and Jordan still. They hung out when all were in Lima and when they weren't, they were still the gossipy girl gang that they had been always. Becca did get the sense that Bree missed being the top dog, because college girls did not like her a lot of the time.

Becca had applied for PhD programmes at the end of her junior year. She hoped to remain at Harvard or Boston at least, but still applied to other places such as Yale and Carnegie Mellon. To her absolute delight, she'd managed to get her place at Harvard again to earn her doctorate. Also luckily, Spencer was staying in Boston for he had been signed by none other than the NFL'S New England Patriots. They'd been scouting him since his freshman year as he became one of the most well known college footballers in the country. A lot of teams had tried to bag him, but the Patriots gave him the best deal so he went for them.

Spencer had suggested they move in together, much to Becca's delight. He'd managed to buy a really great apartment for them both with his signing money, so neither worried about rent. Becca had tried to at least pay for some, but Spencer told her that his best friend didn't need to worry about money. That turned out to be true, because the NFL didn't scrimp on pay.

Bree had also moved to just outside of Boston, which also wasn't a bad thing. Some of the best news that Becca had received was when Ryder had Skyped her to announce that he'd got a junior position at a supply firm. What was even better was when he told her that he would be moving to Boston for it, meaning Becca had some of her favourite people all in one place.

Becca and Spencer helped Ryder with his move. Not a couple of weeks after the move, Spencer was at an overnight Patriots training camp. Becca invited Ryder over to watch a movie. After it had ended, the two were talking about past relationships before Ryder admitted he had never truly gotten over her and that he was still in love with her. One kiss turned into a returned declaration of love from Becca, which then turned into a passionate night of close sex.

They went on one date to make sure they weren't making a mistake and that was all they needed, they were dating again. When Becca finished grad school (PhD in cellular and molecular biology), they moved in together. This was a joint decision with Spencer, who was moving in with Jason, a student he'd met at a second hand book store in Boston. Spencer and Jason married just before Becca and Ryder, the latter two serving as maid of honour and best man respectively.

Ryder and Becca had been successfully, very much so. Ryder had founded his own business, providing education materials for those with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. This turned out quite well, because it was now a very international business with Ryder as the extremely successfully (and rich) CEO. As Becca had predicted, he was on the cover of Time magazine. She'd fared just as well. After finishing grad school, she worked for a top medical research company in Boston. Her work towards treating pre-eclampsia and other birth illnesses had earned her plaudits, and many thought she was on her way to the Nobel Prize.

He'd proposed to her nearly three years ago in front of the Boston Harbour. Becca, of course, had said yes with the upmost joy. It had been a beautiful wedding, helped by their combined income and a very generous gift from Spencer. Being the most famous football player in America gave them pull, such as giving them the beautiful venue they shouldn't have been able to get. Spencer was a groomsman, as was Jason, as well as Jake (a well known dancer in New York) and Luis, Ryder's college roomate. Ryan, Ryder's business partner, was his best man.

Katie Porter, now a special ed teacher at a school just near Boston, was Becca's maid of honour- Becca would return the favour later. Her bridesmaids were Liv, Bree, Chloe (her work friend) and Melissa (her close friend from grad school). Andrew walked his little girl down the aisle to the man she loved. After a very religious ceremony (Becca was insistent on a Methodist church with a religious minister, her belief in marriage being a religious sacrament was held strongly) and beautiful reception, the two had gone off to Italy for their honeymoon.

A little over a year later, the pair decided to try for a baby. This led them to their current point...

 _Suburban Boston, Massachusetts- Over a decade later_

It was a quiet day in the Lynn household, winter bordering on spring. Ryder was loading the dishwasher after breakfast. He whistled along, in a good mood- they'd got a new contract to supply textbooks for dyslexic students in South America and considering that Becca's due date was just around the corner, it was good for the growing family. It wasn't like the Lynns weren't pretty rich now anyway- their house put them in the upper tax bracket, they were looking at private school for the future and they had two very nice cars. They weren't quite on Spencer's NFL contract, but their combined income allowed them a lot of disposable income.

Everything was fine until he heard a _crash_ come from the laundry room. Almost dropping a plate, he ran to the room. Washing powder was spilt all over the floor and top of the washing machine, the carton now empty. Becca was stood in front of it, gasping as she held onto her swollen stomach.

"Becs? It is Braxton Hicks?"

"My waters just broke," she managed to whimper, nodding down to the puddle that was dripping down her legs and onto the floor.

"Oh God, oh God," Ryder was shocked for a second before he managed to get his bearings, "Ok, we need to get to the hospital. Let's go darling."

He ushered Becca out with one arm, her hands cradling her stomach and its precious contents. Looking over to the other arm, he counted the times between contractions. Becca was wheezing in pain, but it didn't seem to be anything other than contractions just yet. Ryder was terrified of Becca giving birth in the car or anywhere that wasn't the hospital. She wanted pain meds; he wanted her to have the best treatment.

On the way out, he also grabbed the hospital bag they kept by the door- maternity notes, toiletries and a comfy dressing gown were part of it. Ryder threw it in the back seat, opening the door for Becca. She moaned, leaning forward and clutching the dashboard.

"This is it sweetheart, today is the day," he tried to put a positive spin on it.

"Yeah, yeah," Becca managed to hiss through the pain, "Can we do this when we get to the hospital please?"

Ryder decided it was best to get there lickity split. Becca's hormones had been all over the place the past few months. One minute she was cuddling him happily and slavishly admitting her undying love and the next she was yelling at him for folding his own clothes wrong. He'd caught her crying at insurance commercials more than once. On time, she'd had a break down over seeing a picture of some endangered bird- she cried for an hour about how humans weren't being stewards of the Earth as God as asked and how everyone was sinful for hurting His creations.

He tried to put the radio on, but Becca death glared at him between contractions so that put a stop to that. Once they were at the hospital, Ryder slid into the nearest parking space he could and half carried his wife into the bustling ER entrance.

"My wife is in labour!" he called out to no one in particular. Thankfully, a nurse with her head screwed on rushed over and bundled Becca into a wheelchair. They headed to the maternity ward, Becca unhappily grunting the entire way.

The nurse handed them over to the maternity unit, which luckily had a private room for Becca (their health insurance could pay out for that). Ryder hushed Becca, stroking her hair as they waited for the staff.

A nurse, midwife and the OB/GYN entered, followed by two younger women.

"Dr. Lynn, pleasure to see you," Dr. Carter, Becca's obstetrician entered, "We have two students shadowing today, is it ok if they assist? I want them to see a natural twin birth."

That was right, twins. Ryder had very nearly fainted when Dr. Carter had looked up from the scan and told them she saw two little babies. Twins did run in Becca's family- her dad was a twin and she also had twins as cousins on her mom's side. Becca missed the shocked phase; instead she was thrilled and insisted that it was a true gift from God. Ryder had then gotten over it, realising that he was being blessed with two wonderful children. They'd been unable to resist finding out the gender, so had asked at the 18 week scan. It was one of each- a baby boy and a baby girl.

Naturally, everyone was thrilled. They planned to ask Spencer, Katie, Jason, Liv, Bree and Ryan to be godparents.

"Yeah of course, they need to learn," Becca managed a smile.

"How are your contractions?" the midwife asked.

"Thirty seconds apart," Ryder answered as the midwife checked how far along Becca was.

"Still early Dr. Lynn," the midwife told her cheerfully, "It could come along quickly or slowly, so I don't know long you'll be. Would you like some pain management?"

"Give me it all," Becca begged, "I don't get these women who don't want it; you don't get a cookie for not having some medicine whilst giving a birth to the human. The kid won't care anyway. God gave pain management to ease women through the miracle of life."

Everyone in the room laughed, which seemed to displease Becca.

"Better?" the midwife asked after she'd hooked Becca up.

"A little, thank you," Becca turned to her husband, "When I'm nearly there, will you call everyone?"

"Of course darling," Ryder kissed her head, "You want anything to drink?"

"Ice chips would be good."

"I'll get them," the nurse went out the door.

Ryder hoped Becca would give birth quickly, but unfortunately, life was not that easy. It was nearly seven hours between the start of her contractions and the point where Ryder called everyone. Liv lived in the area as well, the Boston lot were easy to call and their parents were visiting anyway. He did want to wait until the last minute though; he didn't want them waiting around the hospital room for hours.

His mom had been in labour for a long time with him.

When Becca was nine centimetres, he stepped out to call everyone. When he arrived back in the room, it seemed as though something was happening.

"Becs?" he rushed to her side.

"Ten centimetres just about," Becca clutched her necklace, "Pray with me, I want to pray right now. I need His guidance. _The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?"_

"Ok Dr. Lynn, you're ready to go," the midwife told her.

Becca screamed in agony as the first baby made its way out. The midwife, doctor and nurse kept telling her to push, promising that it was one more even though it wasn't. Becca screamed, continually yelling at Ryder about how she was never sleeping with him again and that he was totally getting a vasectomy. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"I know it's painful," he tried to comfort.

"You don't know pain!" Becca screamed, "A flesh coloured melon is coming out of my privates. Can you imagine that coming out of your male parts? THEN YOU DO NOT KNOW PAIN!"

Ryder's eyes widened in shock.

"Baby's crowning," the midwife told them, "One big push Dr. Lynn, one big push and then baby will slide right out."

Becca yelled loudly but the midwife was right. A tiny baby with fair skin slipped out- the boy had been born first.

"You have a beautiful son, Mr and Dr. Lynn- your little girl should be out soon."

"Is my son ok?" Becca asked frantically, nearly breaking Ryder's fingers in a crush, "He's ok?"

"Your son is fine, Dr. Lynn," the midwife soothed, "We'll just weigh him and then you can hold him. Would you like to cut his umbilical chord Mr. Lynn?"

Ryder nodded, his fingers shaking between the giant scissors. In one smooth snip, the chord went right off. After he was weighed, the baby was bundled into a blue blanket and handed straight over to Becca's outstretched arms.

The little boy had a tuft of light brown hair; his eyes a soft blue like all newborns. He was crying when he first came into the world, but calmed down once he had reached his mother's arms. Opening his eyes, he stared vacantly up at Becca, who immediately burst into tears.

"He is so perfect," she sobbed, "He's so perfect, God has blessed us. Oh Ryder, look at him."

Ryder was entranced by the tiny baby in his wife's arms. This was his son, his little boy. In a matter of minutes, he'd be meeting his baby daughter. It was as though time stood still, he was in total shock over the fact he was here, standing over the wife he loved more than life itself.

"May I?" Ryder asked.

Becca nodded, handing their son over to him. Ryder fought back tears as the tiny infant gurgled, his face still red from crying.

"Hi little man, I'm your daddy," he whispered tearfully, "You're my boy."

He rocked him for a little while before handing the baby over to one of the students. The midwife told them the little girl was to come out. Ryder went back to his wife's side, wiping her brow and whispering encouragement into her ear.

Eventually, a little girl with Becca's blonde hair slid out into the midwife's arms. Ryder cut the umbilical cord again before she was handed over to her mother.

"You've done so well Dr. Lynn," the doctor encouraged, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I want to sleep forever," Becca panted.

"You won't sleep for the next few years, so I'd get forty winks tonight," the midwife joked, "We'll leave you alone for fifteen minutes before we come back. Just press the bell if you need anything. Have you thought of names yet?"

"We'll finalise while you're away," Ryder decided, Becca nodding in encouragement.

The women left, leaving the couple alone. Ryder held their daughter and Becca held their son, both entranced by the tiny creatures in their arms. Neither could believe it at all. It felt like two minutes ago since Ryder had first spotted the beautiful blonde cheerleader in the corridors of high school, miles away in Lima. Neither thought they would be together again after high school graduation, but fate had kept them together. Now they lay together in a hospital room, in love with their two beautiful newborn children.

"He has your nose, it's so cute- it's like a little button," Becca whispered.

"She has your hair," Ryder whispered back, "I'm so proud of you- that cannot have been easy. I felt queasy looking at you."

"That is why men will never know pain," Becca laughed, "I think two is enough, don't you?"

Ryder nodded in agreement, "I am so in love with you Rebecca Lynn. There is no one in the world I'd rather attempt this madness with. I have loved you for over a decade and I will love you until the end of time. I know that our children have the best mother in the world. Everytime I look at you, I fall in love a little more. Right now, I am the luckiest man with the best wife and kids."

"I love you too Ryder Lynn," Becca turned her head wearily; "You are my soulmate. These two are the luckiest children in the world to have you as their daddy. We're going to do this together and I am going to love you until the end times. God put us together and has gifted us."

The two kissed sweetly before Ryder pulled away.

"What are we going to name our little ones then?" he asked.

Fifteen minutes later, the staff came back in.

"Have you got names yet?" the nurse asked, picking up a board.

Becca nodded at Ryder, who beamed.

"This little one is Matthew Thomas and this little one is Elizabeth Eve."

The pair had discussed a variety of names, with Becca gunning for a Biblical tradition. Ryder agreed with it, especially because he liked a lot of the names. Matthew Thomas was taken from two of Jesus' apostles, with Matthew also being one of the gospels. Elizabeth Eve was named for the Aaron and for the first woman. She was also named for Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in the USA to receive a medical degree and one of Becca's heroines. Eve, for Ryder and Becca, also signified new beginnings.

After some more checkups, the doctor offered to fetch everyone, starting with family members.

It was a crowd of course. The godparents all accepted the offer, thrilled to be part of the family. Spencer seemed especially touched, even though he was hiding the very slight tear in his eye as he held Matthew and Elizabeth. He was the one Becca wanted the most to be a godparent out of them all, Spencer had always been one of the biggest and best parts of her life. Spencer had even hugged her, beaming with joy.

When Spencer and Jason adopted a few years later, they would return the favour.

The day was bustling with joy, the babies being the delight of their grandparents, godparents and auntie. Once the cuddles were enjoyed, everyone headed away to allow Becca to rest. The blonde was absolutely exhausted, as one would be after giving birth to twins.

Ryder stayed in the room with her that night, the pair continually staring at the babies. As they fell asleep, the two whispered their love to each other the last time before the morning.

It had been over a decade since the shy jock first laid eyes on the beautiful cheerleader. He'd lost his virginity to her, they said their first 'I love yous' in a school corridor and had danced together at their proms. Both had graduated from their dream colleges and had found themselves back together after four years apart. They'd moved in together and married in a dream ceremony. Ryder was a top businessman and Becca was a brilliant scientist. They'd had their children. It wasn't the end for them, but that decade had been perfect.

They'd grown apart, but most of all, they had come together.

 **It's over (insert sad face).**

 **Thank you for all the support. I wish I could write more than that, but I think that sentence encapsulates it all. I'm thrilled with all the support and to achieve it writing a story that I have genuinely loved. It's been great and I will truly, truly miss writing it.**

 **Thanks again and goodbye for now.**


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